Abstract
This fact sheet and global call to action is aimed at nutrition, hypertension, cardiovascular and other health care clinicians and scientists, and health advocates, as well as the organizations to which they belong. The ‘call’ is to align these audiences with the facts on:
the burden of disease and key evidence supporting reductions in dietary sodium,
the consistent recommendations for reducing dietary sodium from unbiased and comprehensive health and scientific reviews,
the current levels of sodium intake,
the cost savings expected from reducing high dietary sodium,
the sources of controversial opinions,
the current recommended approaches to reduce dietary sodium, and
how to stay up to date with evidence on how to reduce dietary sodium and the evolving research on the adverse health effects of a high sodium intake.
Health, nutrition, hypertension and cardiovascular organizations, and their members, need to become more engaged and advocate for reductions in dietary sodium, and for a greater priority to be given to high quality research on dietary sodium. The World Hypertension League, Resolve to Save Lives and International Society of Hypertension are committed to support reductions in dietary sodium as a high priority.