There is a lot that is dangerous to our health. We are fully aware of that. And countless times we have heard that too much salt in the food is not good for us. But maybe it’s even worse than we think ?! For the extra round of salt that is sprinkled over dinner at the dining table can have very negative effects on health. In a new study, researchers have found that people who are generous with the salt shaker have a higher risk of dying early – for whatever reason. The study is published in the European Heart Journal. – Scary Martine Skjølberg loves salt. She easily admits that. – I probably use a little too much salt at the dinner table. Very fond of it and in the Gastromat. I know it’s not that good for me, she says. Skjølberg finds it difficult to say exactly how much salt she eats in a day, since it is not so easy to measure. When she is confronted with the new study, she reacts like this: – This sounds a little scary. You do not want to die early, but salt is very good then, she says with a smile. Martine Skjølberg says she eats a lot of salty food. – I have heard that the taste buds may be a bit subdued if you use a lot of salt, she says. Photo: Oda Marie Rønning / news 28 percent increased risk of dying The researchers have taken as their starting point health data from 500,000 Britons in good adulthood. Participants were followed for nine years. Via an online questionnaire, they had to provide details about their own salt consumption. And according to the new study, the results show that both men and women who are a little too fond of salty foods have a greater risk of premature death. For men in their 50s, there is a reduction in life expectancy of 2.3 years and for women the figure is 1.5. Compared with people who never or rarely add salt to the dinner table, the other participants had a 28 percent higher risk of dying before the others. “As far as I know, our study is the first to look at the connection between adding salt to food and premature death,” says Professor Lu Qi in a press release. He is a researcher at the University of New Orleans in the United States. Qi believes that even a modest reduction in sodium intake in the population is likely to lead to significant health benefits. The salt shaker is a fixture in most kitchens. But according to experts, sodium is a risk factor for public health. Photo: Pixabay Eat twice as much as recommended On Helse-Norge’s website, the Norwegian people are recommended to choose foods with little salt. Half a teaspoon is the most you should have in a day. On average, we eat twice as much as this recommendation. Monica Sørensen is a senior adviser in the Norwegian Directorate of Health. She says the study is interesting, but that the causes of premature death are complex, and that salt intake is one of many lifestyle factors. – For example, there may be other characteristics of people who salt the food a lot that also contribute to premature death, she says to news. Sørensen believes that high salt intake is an important risk factor for poor public health. And says that Norway has supported the World Health Organization’s goal of reducing intake by 30 percent by 2025. – The letter of intent on facilitating a healthier diet between the health authorities and the food industry is important in this context, the senior adviser explains. Intake should decrease Approximately 70 percent of salt intake in western countries comes from processed and prepared foods. 8–20 percent of the spice is added to the dining table. In the new study, the researchers have taken into account various factors that can affect the outcome. Among other things, they have looked at alcohol intake, ethnicity, gender, illness, BMI and physical activity. Annika Rosengren is a professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. She has not participated in the study itself, but believes that a reduced salt intake in the general population could have a positive effect on our health. – It is not possible to remove salt from all products. And healthy people who have a normal consumption should not worry. But not adding extra salt to the food you eat is at least safe, she says. Health effects of eating too much salt Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, and it is especially the sodium in salt that has a documented negative health effect. A high salt intake increases the risk of high blood pressure, which over time can damage the blood vessels. This can contribute to diseases such as heart attack, stroke, eye changes and kidney damage. Over 30 percent of the population in Norway has high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in Norway. There are individual differences in how much salt we get in us, and the causes of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are many and complex. Limiting salt intake is one of many measures that can reduce the risk. Intake of salty, salted and salt-preserved foods also increases the risk of gastric cancer. Source: helsenorge.no
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Having salt on the food at the dinner table is associated with a greater risk of premature death, research shows – news Trøndelag
