The UN must make reducing salt intake a global health priority, a panel of international scientists and researchers noted Friday.
The research by Professor Francesco Cappuccio of the school has been published in this week’s British Medical Journal, a University of Warwick release said.
“This represents a $6 to $12 return on investment for each dollar spent on regulatory programs. Cost savings are also estimated for a reduction in salt intake of 15% in low- and middle-income countries, with 13.8 million deaths averted over 10 years at an initial cost of less than $0.40 per person per year,” the report notes.
“The benefits for salt reduction are enormous; every 1g of salt removed from the UK diet is predicted to prevent 6,000 deaths and a further 6,000 non-fatal strokes and heart attacks.”
Researchers say there is a “consistent, direct relation between salt intake and blood pressure”. High blood pressure in turn is linked to heart disease, stroke and kidney problems.
The report notes that a similar reduction in the U.S. could result in up to 120,000 fewer cases of coronary heart disease and up to 66,000 fewer strokes. The report also notes that patients in the U.S. could experience 99,000 fewer heart attacks each year.
Researchers pointed to companies responsible for producing food, saying a worldwide policy of reducing salt could assist companies in changing the amount of salt added to products distributed around the world.
“The huge responsibility of food manufacturers in contributing to the epidemic of cardiovascular disease must be acknowledged,” the report said.
