Salt consumption has been proven to cause premature death

Study: You can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease with a salt-free diet

A salt-free diet can reduce the risk of heart problems by up to 20%, according to a large new study. Scientists using data from the British Biobank concluded that even a small reduction in salt intake can be beneficial to health.

Eliminating salt from the diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by up to a fifth, according to the largest study of its kind.

Studies have documented how adding salt to food increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and premature death. Now, experts have established how much you could improve your heart health by simply cutting back on the amount of salt you add to, or eliminating it altogether.

The researchers found that those who never added salt to their meals were 18% less likely to develop atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition, compared to those who always did. The number of people diagnosed with the disease in the UK has increased by 50% over the past decade to 1.5 million.

Atrial fibrillation causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heartbeat, which can lead to dizziness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. People with AF are five times more likely to have a stroke.

Lead author Dr Yoon Joon Park, from Kyungpuk National University Hospital, South Korea, said: “Our study shows that a lower frequency of adding salt to food was associated with a lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation.”

The results will be presented in Amsterdam at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, the world’s largest conference on cardiology, writes The Observer.

The study used data from the British Biobank, which from 2006 to 2010 involved more than 500,000 people aged 40 to 70 across the UK. Those who already had atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, or stroke at the start of the study were excluded.

Each was asked how regularly they salt their meals: “never/rarely”, “sometimes”, “usually” or “always” do it. The researchers then tracked them for 11 years to see how it affected them. Compared to those who always salted their food, those who never did were 18% less likely to develop atrial fibrillation. People who occasionally added it to their meals were 15% less likely to do so.

The study suggests that even those who change their diet from regular salt to “regular” diets can see a big difference in their risk. Those in the regular group were 12% less likely to develop atrial fibrillation compared to those who “always” did so, notes The Observer.

Professor James Leiper of the British Heart Foundation points out: “It is well known that eating too much salt can lead to health problems. This study is a useful reminder that we could all benefit from adhering to the government’s recommendation to consume no more than 6 grams of salt per day – about a teaspoon.”

Mairi Brown of Consensus Action on Salt, Sugar and Health comments: “This new study is a valuable addition to the evidence base and confirms the need for strong policies to help reduce the amount of salt in our food and protect our health from avoidable deaths.” .