Dietary Sodium a Risk Factor for Ischemic Stroke

[Guest guest]

Sodium has already been linked to vascular disease, but a new study

suggests that excessive intake may also heighten ischemic stroke risk.

" People who consumed more than 4000 mg per day of sodium had more than

double the risk of stroke compared to those who consumed less than 1500 mg, "

lead investigator Hannah Gardener, ScD, an epidemiologist from the

University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, told reporters

attending a news conference here at the International Stroke Conference.

" The data behind sodium consumption is pretty strong and persuasive, " said

American Stroke Association national spokesperson Larry Goldstein, MD.

The researchers looked at 2657 people from the multiethnic Northern

Manhattan Study <http://www.columbianomas.org/study.html>. Participants

completed a food-frequency questionnaire, and investigators calculated total

daily sodium intake by using *DietSys *software (National Cancer Institute).

During a mean follow-up of 9.7 years, 187 ischemic strokes occurred.

Investigators found that stroke risk, independent of hypertension, increased

16% for every 500 mg of sodium consumed a day.

Those numbers included adjustments for age, sex, race and ethnicity,

education, alcohol use, exercise, daily caloric intake, smoking, diabetes,

cholesterol, blood pressure, and previous heart disease.

Those consuming 4000 mg or more had a hazard ratio of 2.29 (95% confidence

interval, 1.07 - 4.92).

The majority of the cohort, 88%, consumed more sodium than the American

Heart Association recommendation of less than 1500 mg a day. US Dietary

Guidelines allow for more sodium but still recommend that intake fall below

2300 mg, or about a teaspoon of salt per day.

The average intake was more than double that in the current study at 3031

mg, with a median of 2787 mg daily.

Previous work <http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/730261> has suggested

that salt consumption hasn't changed much in the United States over the past

50 years and remains too high.

" People need to read the labels of the food they are eating and see what the

salt consumption is and at least try to reduce it toward the levels that are

currently being recommended, " said Dr. Goldstein, from the Duke Stroke

Center, in Durham, North Carolina.

" It's clear that small changes in diet can make a huge difference in terms

of stroke risk, " Greenberg, MD, vice chair of the International

Stroke Conference Committee, said at the meeting.

" The evidence from our study may be used in campaigns aimed at reducing

cardiovascular risk, " Dr. Gardener said. " The new American Heart Association

dietary goals will help promote cardiovascular and brain health. "

*This study was funded by the Javits award from the National Institute of

Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the McKnight Brain Institute.

The researchers have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.*

American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference. Abstract #25.

News conference February 9, 2011.

www.medscape.com

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

Win a whole case of Little Debbie Cloud Cakes: Details

here<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=14421>

Check your own local deals <http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=14288>

*Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

*

*at the years people have behind them but also the

*

*quality of the years ahead of them.*

[Guest guest]

YOU know, the one thing that really upsets me about our profession is the " scary

method " . " Eat that or die " attitude.I don't like it, to say the least. any

extreme is not healthy.

Merav Levi, RD, MS, CDNA dietitian, not the food police.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/meravlevi

" Life is not measured by the number of breath you take, but by the moments that

take your breath away. " - Carlin " People don't forget the truth, they just

become better in lying " (Revolutionary Road)

To: rd-usa

From: nrord1@...

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:51:14 -0500

Subject: Dietary Sodium a Risk Factor for Ischemic Stroke

Sodium has already been linked to vascular disease, but a new study

suggests that excessive intake may also heighten ischemic stroke risk.

" People who consumed more than 4000 mg per day of sodium had more than

double the risk of stroke compared to those who consumed less than 1500 mg, "

lead investigator Hannah Gardener, ScD, an epidemiologist from the

University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, told reporters

attending a news conference here at the International Stroke Conference.

" The data behind sodium consumption is pretty strong and persuasive, " said

American Stroke Association national spokesperson Larry Goldstein, MD.

The researchers looked at 2657 people from the multiethnic Northern

Manhattan Study <http://www.columbianomas.org/study.html>. Participants

completed a food-frequency questionnaire, and investigators calculated total

daily sodium intake by using *DietSys *software (National Cancer Institute).

During a mean follow-up of 9.7 years, 187 ischemic strokes occurred.

Investigators found that stroke risk, independent of hypertension, increased

16% for every 500 mg of sodium consumed a day.

Those numbers included adjustments for age, sex, race and ethnicity,

education, alcohol use, exercise, daily caloric intake, smoking, diabetes,

cholesterol, blood pressure, and previous heart disease.

Those consuming 4000 mg or more had a hazard ratio of 2.29 (95% confidence

interval, 1.07 - 4.92).

The majority of the cohort, 88%, consumed more sodium than the American

Heart Association recommendation of less than 1500 mg a day. US Dietary

Guidelines allow for more sodium but still recommend that intake fall below

2300 mg, or about a teaspoon of salt per day.

The average intake was more than double that in the current study at 3031

mg, with a median of 2787 mg daily.

Previous work <http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/730261> has suggested

that salt consumption hasn't changed much in the United States over the past

50 years and remains too high.

" People need to read the labels of the food they are eating and see what the

salt consumption is and at least try to reduce it toward the levels that are

currently being recommended, " said Dr. Goldstein, from the Duke Stroke

Center, in Durham, North Carolina.

" It's clear that small changes in diet can make a huge difference in terms

of stroke risk, " Greenberg, MD, vice chair of the International

Stroke Conference Committee, said at the meeting.

" The evidence from our study may be used in campaigns aimed at reducing

cardiovascular risk, " Dr. Gardener said. " The new American Heart Association

dietary goals will help promote cardiovascular and brain health. "

*This study was funded by the Javits award from the National Institute of

Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the McKnight Brain Institute.

The researchers have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.*

American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference. Abstract #25.

News conference February 9, 2011.

www.medscape.com

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

Win a whole case of Little Debbie Cloud Cakes: Details

here<http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=14421>

Check your own local deals <http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=14288>

*Healthy Diet at any Age: We are NOT just looking

*

*at the years people have behind them but also the

*

*quality of the years ahead of them.*