Draft Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 3MB) - Eat For Health

3.2.3 How limiting intake of foods and drinks containingadded salt may improve health outcomesSodium and other electrolytes are needed to maintain extracellular volume and serum osmolality.There are various systems and hormones that influence sodium balance including the reninangiotensin-aldosteronehormone system, the sympathetic nervous system, atrial natriureticpeptide, the kallikrein-kinin system, various intrarenal mechanisms, and other factors that regulaterenal and medullary blood flow [9].Future data may lead to some refinement in understanding the underlying mechanisms. Forexample, the ratio of sodium to potassium may influence blood pressure more strongly than theamount of sodium alone [560-562] and reducing sodium intakes may be particularly important foroverweight people with certain conditions [563]. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010comment that the effects of higher sodium intake can be countered if potassium intake is alsohigher and note that potassium intakes in the US are lower than desirable [143].3.2.4 Practical considerations: Limiting intake of foodsand drinks containing added saltThere has been a shift in the language on this issue. The first edition of the Dietary Guidelinesincluded the guideline ‘Eat less salt’ [568]. The second edition revised this to ‘Choose low saltfoods and use salt sparingly’ [569]. The third edition advised Australians to ‘Choose foods low insalt’ [37]. In these Guidelines, it is recognised that any reduction in dietary sodium would reduceblood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive people.The Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand recommend an intake of sodium in therange 460–920mg/day for adults to cover the essential requirement. Current advice in Australia isfor dietary sodium intake to be preferably less than 1,600mg/day for adults or no higher than theset Upper Level (UL) of 2,300mg/day (approximately equal to 6g of table salt) ([9]). Among thosewith high sodium intakes, reduction in sodium intake would reduce blood pressure even if specifictargets are not achieved.Diets that are consistent with the Guidelines will help to limit sodium intake. Fresh, unprocessed orminimally processed foods such as fresh vegetables, including legumes/beans, and fruit, frozen ortinned vegetables, including legumes/beans, and fruit with no added salt, meats, fish and milk aregenerally lower in sodium. Some breads and cereal products and cheese are high in salt and makea significant contribution to sodium intake, although there is considerable variation betweenproducts and brands. However, these foods provide other important health benefits outlined inthe relevant sections of the Guidelines. The public should not avoid these foods, but should beencouraged to check food labels and select lower-sodium products in these categories. Somefoods are labelled ‘low sodium/salt’ because they contain less than 120mg of sodium per 100g. NotDRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 85