This new study, published in the *Archives of Internal Medicine*, does not prove that a low-salt diet itself is harmful to the heart. However, the group with the lowest salt intake had the highest mortality rate from heart disease.
Dr. Hillel W. Cohen, a professor of epidemiology and population health, stated that the new research shows we cannot simply assume that a low-salt diet is absolutely safe.
The American scientists' research was based on a federal health survey conducted between 1988 and 1994, involving 8,700 Americans. The participants were all over 30 years old, and none had chosen a particularly low-salt diet. In 2000, researchers re-examined the health status of these participants and found that, compared to the 25% who consumed the most salt, the 25% who consumed the least salt had an 80% higher risk of death from heart disease.
American scientists state that for most healthy people (especially those with normal blood pressure), there is no need to choose a diet with extremely low salt. People with normal blood pressure can continue to consume salt, but in moderation. The overall dietary pattern is crucial.