The Urgent Need to Reduce Sodium Consumption

In a commentary from this week's JAMA Stephen Havas, MD, MPH, MS; and associates state that approximately 16.7 million individuals worldwide, including 850 000 in the United States, annually die of cardiovascular diseases. Further, across populations, the progressive increase in blood pressure levels and the prevalence of hypertension with age are directly related to sodium intake. In the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension-Sodium Trial, the largest decrease in SBP occurred when sodium intake was reduced from 2300 to 1500 mg/d.25 Attaining this level would necessitate reducing sodium in processed and restaurant foods by approximately 80% based on current dietary habits. From a public health perspective, lowering sodium by that amount should be the long-term goal. [JAMA. 2007;298:1439-1441]