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Restricting Salt and Sugary Drinks Without Effect; Study Reports

Posted on Nov 14, 2011

Two studies released last week have put health-conscious reformers on the defensive.

One study surveyed 167 studies and noticed that cutting salt from the diet lowered blood pressure minimally but simultaneously increased the risk of heart disease.

High-sodium diets averaged 3450 mg per day and low-sodium averaged 2760 mg. Caucasians with normal blood pressure lowered their readings -1.27/-0.05 (1% for the entire population). Caucasians with high blood pressure lowered their readings -5.48/-2.75 (3.5% for the entire population). Data for other races weighed these percentages down but their data sets was too sparse for confident conclusions to be drawn. But researchers concluded that whites with normal blood pressure had no reason to worry about salt intake, while whites with high blood pressure might benefit from lowering their salt intake.

The study also noticed in subjects with low sodium intake an increase in three chemicals, which constrict blood vessels and induce higher blood pressure. Additionally, aldosterone, which triggers salt reabsorption, also increased. In effect, the less salt a subject ingests, the more the body adjusts to absorb salt and raise blood pressure. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels also rose by 2.5% and 7%, respectively, thereby threatening heart disease.

The other study followed 7000 students in 40 states between 2004 and 2007 and surveyed their sugary-drink intake. In schools with soda bans, 28.9% purchased other sugary beverages. The figure was 26% for schools with no restrictions. In each, exactly two-thirds of students reported equal access to sugary drinks. The study also found total bans on sugary drinks at schools had no effect on the daily intake of sugary drinks among their students.

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Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.