WHO lowers salt intake recommendation

In hypertension less than two grams of sodium per day

01/02/2013

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Many sufferers do not even know about the health risk they are in. Because high blood pressure causes no pain or discomfort in everyday life over a long period of time, but increases the risk of heart attack and stroke many times over. Mostly, an unhealthy and sodium-rich diet is the cause of the disease. Particularly alarming: More and more children also suffer from hypertension.

Little studies on hypertension in children
„Hypertension is the leading cause of death or disability worldwide“, World Health Organization (WHO) Director for Food, Francesco Branca, warned on Thursday at the launch of the current directive on sodium intake. Salt intake and high blood pressure are directly related. The WHO hopes that with a reduction in salt intake a significant decline in the rising number of chronic diseases. First of all, a recommendation for children in the directive is issued, as more and more children and adolescents suffer from hypertension.

So far, there are only a few studies that examine hypertension in children. In its recommendation, the WHO refers to nine studies investigating the efficacy of a low-salt diet in children and adolescents from Australia, Europe and the US between the ages of five and 15 years. The results are clear: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are significantly reduced by salt reduction. According to the WHO, it is also permissible to use study results with adult volunteers for children as soon as their kidney function is fully developed.

Increased salt intake is also associated with high blood pressure in children and adolescents with osteoporosis, asthma, stomach cancer and obesity in context. However, there is little scientific evidence for this relationship.

WHO guideline on sodium consumption first with recommendations for children
As an upper limit for daily sodium consumption, the WHO has so far set an amount of two grams of sodium for adults, equivalent to about five grams of table salt. In the current policy was „less than“ set before this value, so that five grams of salt represent the absolute upper limit.

Sodium is more difficult for children to dose. The WHO recommendations are based on age, height, weight and energy requirements. Frequently, however, nine-year-olds already consume 2000 calories per day, which is equivalent to the energy needs of an adult woman. Therefore, the WHO advises to use national energy tables. The maximum amount of two grams of sodium per day should not be exceeded. According to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), on average children should not consume more than 1.5 grams of sodium per day. That's equivalent to about 3.5 grams of table salt. However, the researchers point out that children who attend regular family meals often consume significantly more salt.

Finished products can trigger high blood pressure because of their high sodium content
The highest levels of sodium are contained in finished products. According to WHO, the top positions are in the first place, followed by soy sauce, bacon and snacks such as chips, pretzels or popcorn. Thus, bacon or pretzel already contain the daily dose of salt for an adult.

„The successful implementation of the recommendations would have a major impact on public health systems by reducing deadly diseases, improving the quality of life of millions of people and significantly reducing health care costs“, reports the WHO.

Hypertension increases risk of heart attack and stroke
High blood pressure is considered one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially for heart attack and stroke. A large meta-study of Northwestern University in Chicago, which the „four major risk factors“ examined and 2012 im „New England Journal of Medicine“ published, showed that even one of these risk factors increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases by about tenfold. If several risk factors come together, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and nicotine consumption, the risk increases again drastically.

Doctors urge people suffering from high blood pressure to avoid further risk factors such as smoking. Although nearly every hospitalized heart attack patient survives, sequelae such as congestive heart failure or a serious cardiac arrhythmia often remain, which can significantly reduce life expectancy.

According to the WHO, a blood pressure of 120 (systolic) to 80 (diastolic) mm Hg is optimal for an adult. Hypertension, according to this definition, is spoken from 140 (systolic) to 90 (diastolic) mm Hg. In the measurement of the arterial blood pressure two values ​​are determined: the first, upper value is the systolic arterial blood pressure, which measures the pressure in the heart at the time, in which the heart muscle maximally contracts. The second value is the diastolic arterial blood pressure, which indicates the pressure when the heart muscle relaxes again.

According to WHO, more than one billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure. About every third adult is too high. Hypertension causes around 7.6 million premature deaths annually and accounts for 35 percent of the total number of deaths in Europe. (Sb)

Also read:
Too little salt increases death rate in heart disease
Consumer advocates: too much salt in children's sausages
Too much harmful salt in ready meals
Less salt prevents heart disease

Picture credits: Berwis