Wednesday, December 08, 2004
PASS THE SALT PLEASE
I guess I should stop yelling at the kids when they salt their pizza:
The "general population" doesn't include African-Americans, who should reduce their salt intake.
Since 1995, 10 studies have reported on whether lower sodium diets produce health benefits. All 10 studies indicate that, among the general population, lower sodium diets don’t produce health benefits. In fact, not a single study has ever shown improved health outcomes for broad populations on reduced sodium diets.
Just last week, in fact, a coalition of six Canadian medical groups rejected a recommendation for universal salt restriction, choosing instead to make lifestyle recommendations for reducing blood pressure such as exercising, eating a balanced diet, and stress management.
Junk Science recently cited the Fed "Salt Assault," as they term it, as one of their Top Ten “Most Embarrassing Moments” of 2004. (Via Gene Expression).
The "general population" doesn't include African-Americans, who should reduce their salt intake.
But because the [National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine] panel didn’t think that singling out African-Americans was an effective public health strategy, it decided to “overcompensate” and make the recommendation for the general population ¯ thereby shifting the burden to the food industry to reduce salt content in foods. African Americans, then, couldn’t help but eat less salt.Plus, the National Institutes of Health have been recommending reduced salt intake for more than thirty years; it'll take more than a few measly scientific studies to turn that ship.
