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salt & older people With temperatures soaring, older people could die this summer because the Department of Health is failing to provide vital advice on salt intake. The warning from the Salt Association comes as temperatures in Britain climb into their late twenties and older people become more at risk from low salt levels. The alert echoes growing independent concern from bodies such as Help the Aged that the elderly are being urged to drink water but not to maintain the sodium without which they can be vulnerable to heart attacks and strokes. The latest Department of Health “Heatwave Guide” to looking after yourself in hot weather (2007) simply mentions heat exhaustion as a result of water or sodium depletion, but gives no advice on the importance of maintaining sodium and other electrolyte levels. And NHS Direct similarly offers no advice on keeping up your salt intake in a heatwave. “This is an issue where urgent, authoritative advice is needed,” says Salt Association general secretary, Peter Sherratt. “Many older people have cut back on salt as a result of the Government’s blanket advice and they could now be seriously at risk.” Amongst the experts who have raised the issue is leading physiologist Professor Bill Keatinge, who says that hot weather may lessen appetite, but not eating regularly can lead to a salt deficiency. He advises that older people should maintain their salt levels by continuing to eat the balanced diet that they normally would. To avoid dehydration, they should drink plenty of water when thirsty. Meanwhile, Help the Aged advises the public to look out for older relatives and neighbours in the hot weather. A key recommendation is to maintain salt intake and drink lots of water. Further information:Press release: Older people at risk from Government heatwave advice
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