Half of Brazilian adults consume excess salt, posing a health risk

Alert: excess sodium – predominant in table salt – is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and stroke! Common salt is 60% chloride and 40% sodium. In other words: 1 gram of salt contains 400 mg of sodium.

The study was developed by researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP), the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and Instituto Pensi, the José Luiz Egydio Setubal Foundation and the Hospital Infantil Sabará. 

The authors collected information about the dietary profile of more than 28 thousand adults using data from the National Family Budget Survey, from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Participants described everything they had eaten in two different 24-hour periods.  

“The data shows that, despite all efforts to reduce sodium consumption, the results are still very discreet”, says nutritionist Paula Victória Félix, one of the authors of the work. “Younger people are being exposed to large amounts of salt and sugar at an earlier age, which gets their taste buds accustomed to increasingly larger amounts. Furthermore, they are the ones who consume the most ready-made foods and order fast food. The elderly, on the contrary, end up following medical recommendations more.” 

In Brazil, according to the study, the average intake is 2432 milligrams per day, equivalent to 6 grams of salt – 1 full teaspoon or 1 level dessert spoon. 

The group analyzed that exceeded the most in sodium consumption was that of young men, aged between 20 and 29 years old. French bread, beans, rice and steak are the foods that most contributed to the index in this age group.  

Tips for reducing your sodium consumption:

• Gradually reduce the amount of salt used in preparation. This can be done little by little. If you use a teaspoon to season your food, try using three-quarters, then half the teaspoon.
• Swap the salt for other seasonings, such as dried or even fresh herbs, if possible
• Avoid canned food and opt for steamed preserves
• Read labels on purchased foods. There is a big difference in the amount of salt between different brands
• Take the salt shaker off the table
• Reduce the consumption of ready-made meals and sausages such as sausage, ham, salami
• Try alternatives to bread, such as tapioca and couscous, which are preparations in which we can control the amount of salt.

Source: Einstein Agency

Read also

Intersex: representation and misinformation are discussed on networks

The topic gained attention after influencer Karen Bachini, 32, published a video on her YouTube channel explaining that she is an intersex person. But, after all, what does the term mean and why is the subject increasingly present among young people? And I'll tell you: it has nothing to do with sexual orientation, but with genetics and hormonal conditions. Understand.

* The text of this article was partially generated by artificial intelligence tools, state-of-the-art language models that assist in the preparation, review, translation and summarization of texts. Text entries were created by the Curto News and responses from AI tools were used to improve the final content.
It is important to highlight that AI tools are just tools, and the final responsibility for the published content lies with the Curto News. By using these tools responsibly and ethically, our objective is to expand communication possibilities and democratize access to quality information. 🤖