Reducing by 3 grams daily would save $24 billion in health costs per year
Reducing Americans’ daily salt intake by just three grams could prevent up to 66,000 strokes, 99,000 heart attacks, and 92,000 deaths in the U.S. alone, saving $24 billion in health costs each year, researchers at the University of California said on Wednesday. This goal is attainable, the team insisted, noting that women would benefit the most. Salt is greatly overused in the U.S., Reuters reports, with up to 80 per cent of it coming from processed food. Men consume about 10.4 grams per day, and women consume 7.3 grams, but use is rising. The report didn’t take into account the benefits that would be conferred on children, or the fact that reducing salt intake might lower the risk of stomach cancer, kidney disease, congestive heart failure and osteoporosis.