Salt intake and health in the Australian population

To the Editor: There is an established link between salt intake and blood pressure. The public health impact of a 1–3 mmHg reduction in blood pressure by lowering salt intake could be substantial. An American study found that a projected reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 2 mmHg would result in a 17% decrease in the prevalence of hypertension, a 6% reduction in the risk of coronary artery disease events, and a 15% reduction in risk of stroke and transient ischaemic attacks.1 In Finland, a one-third decrease in average salt intake achieved over 30 years was accompanied by a fall of more than 10 mmHg in the population averages of systolic and diastolic blood pressure.2 However, in the absence of active measures to reduce salt in the food supply, public health messages to reduce salt intake have largely been unsuccessful.