Cutting our salt intake could save $32 billion in healthcare costs

The U.S. government is planning on working with the food industry to cut salt intake by nearly 10 percent. This reduction in salt intake may possibly prevent hundreds of thousands of heart attacks and strokes over the next several decades. U.S. researchers speculate that this would save the U.S. government in the region of $32 billion in healthcare costs over this time.

Consuming over the daily suggested amount of 2.3 grams of salt is a major cause of high blood pressure. High blood pressure has been acknowledged an ignored disease by the Institute of Medicine and costs the U.S. health system nearly $73 billion a year. More than a few governments including the United States are looking for solutions to cut back salt intake as a way to reduce the prospects of strokes and heart attacks that deplete the healthcare systems of funds.

A recent study by a team of researchers in California utilized a computer model to gauge the impact of two specific scenarios for decreasing salt intake among the public. They recognized that a voluntary program, similar to the salt reduction movement in England, to be the most successful way of reducing salt intake. The team of researchers projects that a government and industry collaborative effort may cut Americans’ salt intake by nearly 10 percent.