Chinese people, hurry up and “switch salt” to save lives! Who switches will benefit.

"Come see two shocking sets of figures:"

According to the data from the "Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2022," in the composition of disease-related deaths among urban and rural residents in China, cardiovascular diseases ranked first. In 2020, cardiovascular diseases accounted for 48.00% and 45.86% of deaths in rural and urban areas, respectively.

Hypertension is a major killer leading to most cardiovascular diseases. The number of diagnosed hypertensive patients in our country has reached 340 million, which means on average, 3 to 4 out of every 10 people are hypertensive patients.

Excessive sodium intake and/or insufficient potassium intake are the most important factors leading to high blood pressure.

In August 2024, the Chinese Society of Preventive Medicine's Health Risk Assessment and Control Society, the Chinese Nutrition Society, and the Nutrition and Health Research Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, along with many other academic institutions in China, jointly released the "Chinese Low-Sodium Salt Promotion and Use Guidelines" (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines). Based on relevant scientific research evidence on low-sodium salt from both domestic and international sources, the Guidelines put forward reasonable recommendations for the promotion and use of low-sodium salt.

The guidelines indicate that the results of multiple large-scale, multi-center, randomized controlled trials conducted in populations including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and non-hypertensive patients, the elderly and young people, and men and women in China and other countries have shown that the use of low-sodium salt is not only safe and feasible, but can also save on medical expenses, making it particularly suitable for China.

"What is low-sodium salt?"

Low-sodium salt intake recommendation

4. It is recommended that healthy individuals with normal blood pressure consider using low-sodium salt.

Using low-sodium salt can help reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals and lower the incidence of hypertension without increasing the risk of low blood pressure. The benefits outweigh the disadvantages, according to the level of evidence.

5. Recommend using low-sodium salt for family cooking to replace regular salt.

Research has shown that low-sodium salt is not only cost-effective and cost-efficient but also saves total health costs for society and individuals.

1. Patients with impaired renal function (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m²) who need to use low-sodium salt should consult a specialist doctor.

Currently, there is no direct evidence to suggest that patients with impaired renal function can benefit from using low-sodium salt. A modeling study suggests that promoting the use of low-sodium salt among patients with impaired renal function in China has more benefits than harms, but the certainty of the evidence is low.

2. Patients with hyperkalemia should not consume low-sodium salt.

The use of low-sodium salt can slightly increase the serum potassium level, so it is not suitable for patients diagnosed with hyperkalemia.

References

[1] National Cardiovascular Disease Center. Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2022. Published by China Union Medical University Press, April 2023.

[2] WHO. Global report on hypertension: The race against a silent killer

[3] Guidelines for the Promotion and Application of Low-Sodium Salt in China. Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2024, 25(08): 957-973.

[4] Guidelines for the Promotion and Application of Low-Sodium Salt in China (Practice Edition) [J]. Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2024, 25(08): 974-976.

Planning and production

Source: Nutritionist Liu Suiqian.

Author | Liu Suiqian
Accredited by the Australian Nutritionist Association, Clinical Practicing Nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of the Science and Health Information Exchange Center of Kexin Food.

Editor | Yang Yaping

Reviewers | Xu Lai, Lin Lin

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