In 1960, most of the world’s population was deficient in the micronutrient iodine, with serious implications for public health. By 2020, the number of iodine-deficient countries had decreased to 21 (down from 113 in 1990), and 90% of people were receiving sufficient amounts.
The solution? Adding iodine to table salt. Adding iodine to the salt supply is strongly supported by the salt industry and governments, and is arguably one of the most effective public health interventions in history.
In 2024, the world faces a similar public health crisis. High blood pressure is a leading cause of illness and death. A key contributor is excessive sodium intake, which raises blood pressure. But as we report in An Easy Way to Satisfy Your Salt Cravings Without Compromising Your Health, new research suggests that an equally simple solution may be at hand: potassium-fortified salt.
This could be a game changer, since efforts to reduce salt intake have failed for a variety of reasons, not least because people prefer salty foods. Governments and industry must also bear some of the blame: processed food manufacturers have been reluctant to set salt reduction targets, while the salt industry has tried to cast doubt on the efficacy and safety of salt reduction, in part by promoting the idea that too little is as harmful as too much.
Either way, new scientific findings offer a new solution: Switching to potassium-fortified salt is a win-win: reduce sodium and increase potassium intake. New research shows this has a greater impact on blood pressure than reducing sodium intake alone. Only 14% of people get enough potassium. Nearly everyone gets too much sodium.
“If industry won’t act on these findings voluntarily, governments should be forced to do so. Hypertension is an enormous cost to the health care system. Adding potassium to salt, as we have done with iodine, is a surprisingly simple way to save lives and money.”
topic:
Source: www.newscientist.com
