Salt restriction could increase risk of iodine deficiency

[Guest guest]

Restricting salt intake could increase risk of iodine deficiency,

particularly among women, according to a new study published in the *American

Journal of Hypertension.*

Nearly a third of Americans have hypertension, a risk factor for heart

disease and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC). Excessive sodium

consumption<http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/content/search?SearchText=sodium+co\

nsumption & FromNews>has

repeatedly been linked to high blood pressure, and Americans consume

on

average about 4,000mg a day – far more than the 2,300mg recommended in the

2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In addition, the CDC recommends that 69 percent of the population –

including blacks, those aged 40 or older, and those with high blood pressure

– should limit their sodium intake to 1,500mg a day, as these groups are at

particular risk of health problems arising from consuming too much sodium.

However, the United States’ salt supply is fortified with iodine, deficiency

of which can lead to hypothyroidism, infertility, thyroid cancer, goiter,

poor cognition, lethargy, and decreased labor productivity in adults.

* “Restriction of dietary salt consumption as a treatment option for

hypertension could mean a significant curtailing of iodine intake and hence

risk of iodine deficiency,” *the study’s authors wrote.

*Iodine deficiency prevalence*

The researchers examined data from the 2001–2004 National Health and

Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) for associations between

hypertension, salt restriction and iodine

deficiency<http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/content/search?SearchText=iodine+def\

iciency & FromNews>in

a sample of 996 men and 960 women.

They found that hypertensive women were more successful than men in

restricting their salt intake – with 41.8 percent of women in the study

sample who were trying to restrict salt consuming a moderate amount of

sodium (2,400mg a day or less), compared to 26.1 percent of men who aimed to

restrict salt. More men than women reported restricting salt intake – 13.6

percent compared to 12.8 percent.

More info

here<http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Salt-restriction-could-i\

ncrease-risk-of-iodine-deficiency/?c=T0QtS5cvuDWl2ZKdCnn76A%253D%253D & utm_source\

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Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

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