• Real Answers with Dr. Lavin

    Original Articles By Dr. Lavin Featuring Expert Advice & Information about Pediatric Health Issues that you Care the Most About

    Salt: Time to Shake the Habit

    February 18, 2010

    Salt: Time to Shake the Habit


    A very important study was published today in the New England
    Journal of Medicine (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/362/7/590)

    This landmark study proves that excess salt is a killer, and a major one.
    The good news is that we can now prevent major catastrophes simply
    by eating less salt.

    By eating less salt, about 44,000-92,000 fewer Americans would die
    each year!

    How much less?
    The average adult male American eats 10 grams of salt (4000 mg of sodium) a day.
    The average adult male American eats   7 grams of salt (2800 mg of sodium) a day.
    The amount we need to drop is 3 grams of salt (1200 mg of sodium) a day.

    If we dropped our intake that much, what impact would that have?
    If the country dropped 3 grams of salt (1200 mg of sodium) a day
    it would reduce heart disease as much as if:

    • 50% of the country stopped smoking
    • the country dropped its BMI by 5%
    • everyone went on a statin to treat high cholesterol
    If the country dropped 3 grams of salt (1200 mg of sodium) a day 
    it would reduce strokes even more dramatically.
    The Challenge
    The challenge is that most of the salt we eat is not from shakers, but from 
    processed foods.  
    The Solution
    To drop about 1/3 of all your salt intake, and save some lives
    we need to:
    1. Read the labels on foods that we purchase- don’t buy items with high salt.
    2. Aim for eating no more than 2000mg of sodium a day.
    3. Get rid of salt shakers in the home.
    BOTTOM LINE:
    Salt now is proven to cause thousands upon thousands of strokes, heart attacks,
    and deaths.  It now ranks with tobacco and obesity as one of the top problems
    we can do something about, a problem solved that could save yours and many
    other lives.
    So let’s eat less salt and live longer.
    Dr. Arthur Lavin

    *Disclaimer*
    The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person’s particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

    One Response to Salt: Time to Shake the Habit

    Leave a Reply