Re: Salt intake is strongly associated with obesity

[Guest guest]

Try this:

http://tinyurl.com/y9svkn

--- In , Jeff Novick <chefjeff40@...>

wrote:

>

> Interesting article and argument. Pushing some

> " correlation " as " causation " but still interesting. I

> cant find the abstract online yet..

>

> JSN

>

> Salt intake is strongly associated with obesity

>

> Comprehensive reduction in salt intake would be a

> powerful means against obesity, claims new study

>

> A study published in the journal " Progress in

> Cardiovascular Diseases " refutes the frequently

> repeated claims that a comprehensive salt reduction

> would not produce any overall health benefits, or

> would even increase diseases and shorten the

> life-span.

>

> Professors, Dr. Heikki Karppanen of the University of

> Helsinki and Dr. Eero Mervaala of the University of

> Kuopio report that an average 30-35% reduction in salt

> intake during 30 years in Finland was associated with

> a dramatic 75 % to 80 % decrease in both stroke and

> coronary heart disease mortality in the population

> under 65 years. During the same period the

> life expectancy of both male and female Finns

> increased by 6 to 7 years.

>

> The most powerful explaining factor for the favorable

> changes was the more than 10 mmHg ( " point " ) decrease

> in the average blood pressure of the population. A

> marked decrease in the average cholesterol levels of

> the population also remarkably contributed to the

> decrease of heart diseases. The extensive use of drugs

> contributed less than 10 % of the observed

> decreases in blood pressure, cholesterol, and

> cardiovascular diseases.

>

> " To our surprise, the sales figures of the American

> Salt Institute divulged that salt intake increased

> more than 50 % in USA during 15 years from mid-1980s

> to the late 1990s " , says Professor Karppanen. The

> study reports that the prevalence of high blood

> pressure, which had long shown a decreasing trend,

> turned to a marked increase concomitantly with the

> increase in salt intake.

>

> Perhaps the most interesting finding of the study is

> the close link between salt intake and obesity. The

> study reports that increasing intakes of sodium (salt)

> obligatorily produce a progressive increase in thirst.

> The progressive increase in the average intake of salt

> explains the observed concomitant increase in the

> intake of beverages which, in turn, has caused a

> marked net increase in the intake of calories during

> the same period in the United States.

>

> Between 1977 and 2001, energy intake from sweetened

> beverages increased on the average by 135 % in the

> United States. During the same period, the energy

> intake from milk was reduced by 38 %. The net effect

> on energy intake was a 278 kcal increase per person a

> day. The American Heart Association has estimated

> that, to burn the average increase of 278 kcal a

> day and avoid the development or worsening of obesity,

> each American should now walk or vacuum 1 hour 10

> minutes more every day than in 1977.

> Unfortunately, this has not been the case.

>

> In a decade from 1976-1980 to 1988-1994 the prevalence

> of obesity increased 61 % among men and 52 % among

> women. During 1999 to 2002, the prevalence

> of obesity was 120 % higher among men and 99 % higher

> among women as compared with the 1976 to 1980 figures.

> The increased intake of salt, through

> induction of thirst with increased intake of

> high-energy beverages has obviously remarkably

> contributed to the increase of obesity in the United

> States.

>

> It is noteworthy that, until 1983 the use of salt did

> not change or even showed a continuous decreasing

> trend in the United States. The prevalence of obesity

> was relatively low and remained essentially unchanged

> from early 1960s to early 1980s. The study suggests

> that a comprehensive reduction in salt intake, which

> would reduce the intake of high-energy beverages,

> would be a potentially powerful means in the so far

> failed attempts to combat obesity in industrialized

> societies.

>

> The authors conclude that there now is conclusive

> population-wide evidence, which indicates powerful

> beneficial health effects of comprehensive salt

> reduction. Decrease of obesity is now added to the

> previous list of recognized benefits. The

> population-wide long-term experience from Finland

> indicates that a remarkable decrease in the salt

> intake has not caused any adverse effects. Professor

> Karppanen states that " the repeated warnings of

> various industries on possible harmful effects of

> comprehensive salt reduction are unjustified and even

> unethical " .

>

[Guest guest]

--- In , Jeff Novick <chefjeff40@...>

wrote:

> Professors, Dr. Heikki Karppanen of the University of

> Helsinki and Dr. Eero Mervaala of the University of

> Kuopio report that an average 30-35% reduction in salt

> intake during 30 years in Finland was associated with

> a dramatic 75 % to 80 % decrease in both stroke and

> coronary heart disease mortality in the population

> under 65 years. During the same period the

> life expectancy of both male and female Finns

> increased by 6 to 7 years.

This is interesting, but I suspect that sodium intake is not the sole

causative agent. Finland has made significant, population wide

changes in both salt and saturated fat intake over the last 40 years,

a time period that cooincides with the time frame of this study.

For more details see: http://tinyurl.com/y9nhvv

Oh and nice to meet you all. I've been lurking for a few months

now. I do not currently practice CR because I'm trying to concieve.

But I'm an epidemiologist (not nutritional) and I'm very impressed by

the level of analysis and discussion on this list.

-