Mar
27
In United States consume too much sodium, according to a study
Washington, 26 mar (EFE) .- The majority of people in United States consumes more than twice the recommended amount of sodium each day, according to a study released today Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency, known by its acronym in English CDC, noted that more than two of every three adults are in population groups who should not consume over 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
In the study period, from 2005 to 2006, the estimated average intake of sodium per person older than 2 years of age in the U.S. was 3436 milligrams a day.
A diet high in sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke, which are the first and third causes of death in United States.
It is important to reduce salt intake, said Darwin Labarthe, director of the Division of Prevention of Heart Disease and Stroke at the CDC.
People who adopt a healthy diet for the heart, which includes a low consumption of sodium and rich in potassium and calcium, can improve your blood pressure, he added.
The reduction of sodium intake can prevent or postpone the increases in blood pressure for everyone, he said.
Most of the sodium that is part of the American diet are found in processed and packaged foods and meals served in restaurants, said CDC.
The study, which was the first who used data from national shows that 69.2 percent of the population belongs to a specific group that should not ingest more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.
These groups include people who already have high blood pressure, blacks and people over 40 years old.
The dietary recommendations for Americans 2005 showed that adults in general, should consume each day less than 2300 milligrams sodium, this is about a teaspoon.