Excessive intake of dietary sodium is an independent risk factor for developing new cases of heart failure, according to a report from Vanderbilt Health released on Mar. 25.
This finding is significant because it highlights the impact that high salt consumption can have on heart health, especially in populations already at increased risk. The study focused on a group made up mostly of Black and low-income individuals from the southeastern United States, where average daily sodium intake was about 4,200 milligrams—almost double the recommended maximum of 2,300 milligrams.
The researchers found that this level of sodium consumption was associated with a 15% increase in the risk of incident heart failure. "Even modest reductions in sodium consumption may significantly reduce the burden of heart failure in this high-risk population," the researchers reported March 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances.
Deepak Gupta, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine and director of the Vanderbilt Translational and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center (VTRACC), said reducing salt intake is not straightforward. He explained that public health strategies might be needed to address challenges such as grocery store availability and limited transportation options that make it difficult for many residents to access healthier food choices.
Leonie Dupuis, MD, a third-year resident physician at Vanderbilt Health and first author on the paper, analyzed data from more than 25,300 participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). The SCCS has tracked health outcomes among predominantly Black and low-income residents across twelve southeastern states since 2001. Most participants were enrolled through community health centers.
The study also noted that even lowering daily salt intake to around 4,000 milligrams could reduce new cases by nearly seven percent over ten years—a change projected to save lives and cut national healthcare costs by almost $2 billion annually.
Co-authors include Meng Xu, MS; Audrey White, MD; Debra Dixon, MD; Jane Ferguson, PhD; Xiao-Ou Shu, PhD; Danxia Yu, PhD; and Loren Lipworth, ScD. Funding support came from several National Institutes of Health grants.
