Jay Walker, Alastair David MacKenzie, Joel Dunning, autumn 2007

This study addressed the question of whether restricting dietary salt intake would provide protection from adverse cardiovascular events or mortality. Using the 462 papers, of which 14 were identified as representing the best evidence on the subject, the review concluded that there was no conclusive proof of a link between salt and heart attacks and strokes due to the lack of adequately powered randomised trials or observational studies conducted with sufficient rigour.  

Low mineral intake is associated with high systolic blood pressure in the third and fourth National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

AJH Townsend et al

American Journal of Hypertension, Feb 05

An anlaysis of survey data on blood pressure and nutrient intake from more than 20,000 adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in the US over the past 20 years. The study confirms that it is mineral deficiency rather than sodium intake that is the main influencer in high blood pressure.

Shirreffs SM et al
International Journal of Sports Medicine, April 2005

A team of sports scientists from Loughborough University have measured the sweat rate of professional football players at such clubs as Real Madrid and Manchester United and the amout of sodium and other electrolytes that they lose during training sessions.

27 May 04

This report makes a number of recommendations about how the government, schools and food manufacturers can work together to counter the rising problem of obesity in the UK.

I. Fusgen
European Journal of Geriatrics, March 2004

This research was led by Professor Fusgen from the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany. The findings include numbers of older people suffering from sub-acute sodium deficiency.

Duley L, Henderson-Smart D
The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2004

You can view the abstract for this research project, which searched the register of such trials as those maintained and updated by the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group.

Hooper L et al,
The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2004

Read the abstract of this research carried out by The University of Manchester and the MRC Health Services Research Unit at The University of Bristol. Volunteers reduced their salt intake for six months or more and the effect on blood pressure was noted.

MacGregor and Dr Feng He
The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2004

View the abstract of this report re-assessing the above research by Lee Hooper et al. You can also read the review of this report on the NHS website.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
May 03

Recommendations about the daily salt intake for adults and (for the first time) children are made in this report.

Food Standards Agency
Various volumes: 2002-2004

This programme of surveys was carried out on a sample of adults and children from the age of four, to gather information about the nutritional status of the British population.

Swales J
2000

This article explores the scientific basis for calls for population advice on salt reduction.

M Gary Nicholls and A Mark Richards
Medical Journal of Australia
1999

Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, this article proposes answers to such disputed questions as “Does moderate restriction of dietary sodium reduce arterial pressure?” and “Does dietary sodium restriction have adverse effects?”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics
The Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
1999 – 2004?

The first of three surveys carried out by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, known as NHANES 1. Over 20,000 people were enrolled people during the years 1971 to 1975, their serum uric acid levels measured and information taken on their medical history. Their medical records and death certificates were collected over the next 16 years and attention was focused on the total numbers of deaths, as well as those due to heart and blood vessel disease.

Alderman, M. H., Cohen, H. and Madhaven, S.
The Lancet
March 1998

This health outcome study is based on the vital status information of NHANES 1 (above), and was carried out by the Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine in the US.

Julian Midgley et al
Journal of the American Medical Association
May 1996

A paper with evidence based on statistical analyses of published human studies concerning the effect of changes in dietary sodium on blood pressure.

Intersalt Cooperative Research Group
British Medical Journal
July 30 1988

Have a look at the abstract of this independent study, carried out at 52 medical centres around the world, which looked at the sodium excretion and blood pressure of more than 10,000 people. The analysis of the data was questioned by many - read responses from Dr James Le Fanu and Richard Hanneman.

Institute of Food Research

Two information sheets: one with IFR’s position on salt, The Salt Debate, and the other with general information about salt.