New research published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, reveals that modest reductions in sodium content in everyday foods could yield significant cardiovascular health benefits across entire populations. Two separate studies from France and the United Kingdom demonstrate that meeting existing sodium-reduction targets could prevent thousands of deaths and hospitalizations while generating substantial healthcare savings.
The French study focused on sodium reduction in bread products, particularly baguettes, which traditionally contribute about 25% of total daily recommended salt intake in France. Researchers found that if 2025 salt-reduction targets were fully met, daily salt intake would decrease by 0.35 grams per person, leading to an estimated 1,186 fewer deaths annually. Hospitalizations for ischemic heart disease would drop by 1.04%, while hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke hospitalizations would fall by 1.05% and 0.88% respectively.
"This salt-reduction measure went completely unnoticed by the French population - no one realized that bread contained less salt," said Clemence Grave, M.D., lead author of the French study and epidemiologist at the French National Public Health Agency. "Our findings show that reformulating food products, even with small, invisible changes, can have a significant impact on public health."
The UK study examined the potential impact of meeting 2024 sodium-reduction targets for 84 grocery food categories and 24 out-of-home categories. Researchers estimated that full compliance could reduce average salt intake from about 6.1 grams to 4.9 grams per day - a 17.5% reduction. Over 20 years, this could prevent approximately 103,000 cases of ischemic heart disease and 25,000 strokes, while generating £1 billion in savings for the UK's National Health Service.
"If UK food companies had fully met the 2024 salt reduction targets, the resulting drop in salt intake across the population could have prevented tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes, saved substantially in health costs and significantly improved public health," said Lauren Bandy, D.Phil., lead author of the UK study and researcher at the University of Oxford. "All without requiring people to change their eating habits."
Both studies highlight the importance of population-level strategies that don't rely on individual behavior change. The American Heart Association recommends daily intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium, with an ideal limit of 1,500 mg for most adults. However, global intake typically exceeds these recommendations, contributing to hypertension and related cardiovascular complications.
Daniel W. Jones, M.D., chair of the 2025 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology High Blood Pressure Guideline, noted the relevance of these findings beyond Europe. "Both of these modelling studies demonstrate the potential benefit in reducing risk for heart disease and stroke by reducing sodium consumption," he said. "This 'national' approach to limiting salt content in commercially prepared foods is a key strategy for countries where a major part of food consumption is from foods prepared outside the home."
The research underscores the need for coordinated efforts among policymakers, food industry representatives, and healthcare professionals to strengthen and enforce sodium-reduction programs. While both studies acknowledge limitations in their modeling approaches and data availability, they provide compelling evidence that modest, industry-led sodium reductions in commonly consumed foods could deliver substantial public health benefits across entire populations.
