Too much salt salt in food often way too high

High salt intake increases the blood pressure
The relationship between salt intake and blood pressure are clear: A high salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. For this reason, high consumption of dietary salt also indirectly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which, at just under 40%, are the most common cause of death in Germany.

In its current scientific statement "Supply of table salt in Germany, health consequences and resulting recommendations for action", the DGE therefore emphasizes the need to reduce the intake of table salt in the population. A population-wide decrease in blood pressure, even if moderate, may contribute to a reduction in cardiovascular disease burden.

Too much salt in food. Image: Sabine Hürdler - fotolia

The DGE therefore urgently recommends Germany's participation in national and international initiatives to reduce the salt intake throughout the population. The majority of the population in Germany eats too much table salt: In about 70% of women and in about 80% of men, the intake of table salt is above the orientation value of up to 6 g per day.

To reduce the salt intake in the population, the salt content in bread, meat, sausage and cheese must be lowered. Bread can make the biggest contribution to saving table salt. The salt intake should be gradually reduced in order to get used to the weaker salt taste. Children should not even get used to a high salt intake. Consumers can reduce their salt intake by consuming less processed foods and more unprocessed foods such as vegetables and fruits. For seasoning spices and herbs should be preferred. If table salt is used, iodine and fluoride enriched table salt should be preferred.

What is high blood pressure and how often does it occur?
Hypertension occurs in about 20 million adults. This shows the study on adult health in Germany (DEGS). High blood pressure is a disease of the vascular system where the blood pressure levels are permanently too high and exceed certain threshold levels even when at rest. It is present at repeatedly measured blood pressure values ​​of ≥ 140 mm mercury (Hg) and / or ≥ 90 mm Hg. Values ​​of systolic are considered optimal < 120 mm Hg und diastolisch < 80 mm Hg. Ein suboptimaler Blutdruck beinhaltet Werte, die zwar noch nicht als hyperton, aber auch nicht mehr als optimal bezeichnet werden. Fast die Hälfte der Frauen und fast Dreiviertel der Männer in Deutschland weisen suboptimale Blutdruckwerte auf. Das kardiovaskuläre Krankheitsrisiko ist bereits bei suboptimalen Blutdruckwerten deutlich erhöht. Etwa die Hälfte der ischämischen Herzkrankheiten und zwei Drittel der Schlaganfälle lassen sich auf einen suboptimalen Blutdruck zurückführen. Bereits Kinder und Jugendliche haben in nennenswertem Ausmaß einen erhöhten bzw. suboptimalen Blutdruck. So wiesen in der Altersgruppe der 14- bis 17-Jährigen bereits 52,5 % der Jungen und 26,2 % der Mädchen Blutdruckwerte von ≥ 120/80 mm Hg, und somit oberhalb der als optimal definierten Werte, auf. Die Häufigkeit steigt mit zunehmendem Alter, wie Ergebnisse des Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurveys (KIGGS-Studie) zeigten. Why does the DGE give an orientation value to table salt??
As a high salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure and high blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the salt intake in the population should be reduced. In 39% of women and 50% of men, the salt intake is more than 10 g / day. Table salt is v. a. about processed foods and foods consumed outside the home (about 75-90%). In Germany, according to the National Consumption Study II (NVS II), the processed food groups bread, meat, sausage and cheese make the largest contribution to the supply of table salt. According to the DGE orientation value, the sum of salt intake from processed foods and "salting" should not exceed 6 g per day. That's about a teaspoon.

The DGE statement summarizes evidence-based findings on the relationship between salt intake and the prevention of nutritionally-related diseases. The opinion as well as a FAQ paper with selected questions and answers about table salt are freely available on the internet. (Pm)