Salt Substitutes: Lower Blood Pressure, Low Usage
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Low Uptake of Salt substitutes Despite Blood Pressure Benefits,Study Finds
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despite being a simple and effective strategy for managing hypertension,salt substitutes are used by a surprisingly small percentage of U.S. adults, new research reveals.
Published September 5, 2024, at 14:45:47
Key Findings
A new study presented at teh American Heart Association meeting in Baltimore on thursday, September 5, 2024, found that less than 6% of U.S. adults use salt substitutes. This is despite their proven effectiveness in controlling blood pressure, particularly for those with difficult-to-treat hypertension.
How Salt Substitutes Work
Salt substitutes replace some or all of the sodium chloride in table salt with potassium chloride. Potassium chloride provides a similar salty taste, but without the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium. A diet high in sodium causes the body to retain fluid, increasing blood volume and subsequently, blood pressure according to the American Heart Association.
Study Details
The research,led by Yinying Wei,a doctoral candidate in applied clinical research and hypertension at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas,analyzed data from a large sample of U.S. adults. Wei stated in a news release, “less than 6% of all U.S. adults use salt substitutes, even though they are inexpensive and can be an effective strategy to help people control blood pressure, especially people with difficult-to-treat high blood pressure.”
Implications for Public Health
The low adoption rate of salt substitutes represents a missed chance to improve public health. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Promoting the use of salt substitutes could significantly reduce the burden of thes conditions.
Understanding Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension) affects nearly half of American adults. It often has no symptoms,earning