Smoking, lack of regular exercise, a diet rich in fats and salt, and stress can increase the risk of hypertension and, therefore, cardiovascular disease.
Now a new study suggests that one simple dietary change could make a significant difference, without anyone having to feel like they’re limiting or depriving themselves. It’s simply a matter of using alternatives to salt.
Responsible for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure, hypertension affects one in three adults worldwide, according to data published in September by the World Health Organization. The global health authority specifies that age and genetics are risk factors, but that it can also be linked to modifiable lifestyle factors: in particular lack of exercise, excessive alcohol consumption, and high salt intake.
It is this last point that interested a team of researchers in China, who investigated the impact of salt substitutes on hypertension.
“Adults frequently fall into the trap of consuming excess salt through easily accessible and budget-friendly processed foods,” said Yangfeng Wu, lead author of the study and executive director of Peking University Clinical Research Institute in Beijing.
“It’s crucial to recognise the impact of our dietary choices on heart health and increase the public’s awareness of lower-sodium options.”
The researchers conducted the study with 611 participants aged 55 and over who lived in 48 care facilities, and divided them into two groups. In 24 care facilities, 313 participants swapped their usual salt for a substitute, while in the remaining 24 care homes, the diets of 298 participants remained unchanged.
The authors specified that the participants had a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mmHg – that is, no hypertension – at the start of the study, and that they were not taking medication for high blood pressure.
The researchers did not specify which salt substitute was used, but indicated that the composition was 62.5% sodium chloride, 25% potassium salt, and 12.5% flavourings.
Replace rather than eliminate
Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the research suggests a lower risk of hypertension in participants who consumed the salt alternative.
In detail, the experts estimated the incidence of hypertension in these participants at “11.7 per 100 person-years, compared with 24.3 per 100 person-years” in those who continued to use conventional salt.
Furthermore, participants who used a salt substitute had a 40% reduced risk of developing hypertension, compared with those who consumed ordinary salt.
It should also be noted that the substitute did not cause hypotension (low blood pressure) in participants, which the scientists say could be “a common issue” in older adults.
“Our results showcase an exciting breakthrough in maintaining blood pressure that offers a way for people to safeguard their health and minimise the potential for cardiovascular risks, all while being able to enjoy the perks of adding flavour to their meals.
“Considering its blood pressure-lowering effect proven in previous studies, the salt substitute appears beneficial to all people, thus a desirable population strategy for prevention and control of hypertension and cardiovascular disease,” Wu noted.
In addition to the potential impact of switching to salt substitutes in day-to-day diets, the researchers recommend that these substitutes be adopted “early in the food chain” – that is, in the preparation of dishes and foods by the agrifood industry. This would make processed foods less harmful to health.