We already know the side effects of too much salt consumption: water retention, aging of the skin, hypertension… But this condiment could have even more harmful consequences on our health, as revealed by a new study published July 11 in the European Heart Journal. (source 1)
University of New Orleans researchers tracked 501,379 people through the Biomedical Database UK Biobank. Via a questionnaire, the participants specified whether they added salt to their food and how often. The scientists also took urine samples to study sodium and potassium levels.
A loss of life estimated at 2.3 years and 1.5 years
According to the study, people who always added salt to their diet had a 28% increased risk of dying prematurely, “regardless of diet, lifestyle, socio-economic and pre-existing level”.
More specifically, the loss of life expectancy is estimated at 2.3 years in men over 50 who salt their plate, against 1.5 years in females of the same age.
“To my knowledge, our study is the first to assess the relationship between the addition of salt to food and premature death,” Professor Lu Qui, lead author of the survey, said in a press release. (source 2)
“(The study) provides new evidence in support of recommendations to change eating behaviors to improve health. Even a modest reduction in sodium intake…is likely to lead to substantial health benefits.”
According to the World Health Organization, it should not be exceeded 5 grams of salt per day. (Source 3) However, due to the increasing production of processed foods, most people consume 9 to 12 grams on average. This is twice the maximum recommended intake. To reduce salt intake, the WHO recommends choose products low in sodium and of do not add salt during food preparation.
