Parting of the ways?

Many government public health agencies recommend universal salt reduction.  Unfortunate.  Unjustified.  But true.

In the past couple weeks, however, nutri-fascists have been spewing forth wild and scary allegations about the "toxic" level of dietary salt.  Their fact-free rants may have cost them their customary agency support.  At least one agency has said "enough" and issued a fact sheet that their population intakes are normal.

In fact, Food Standards Australia New Zealand went the extra step to explain that 95% of the residents Down Under are consuming less than 8.5 grams of salt daily.  The statement was prompted by local WASH agitators who claimed Australians were "regularly" consuming 40 grams of salt per day.  The release notes there are no recorded invidividual intakes over 26 g/day much less the 40 g/day whopper.  FSANZ had to speak out publicly attempting to save their scientific credibilty (something about which WASH seems unconcerned). 

The head of the Aussie WASH group was quoted in FoodNavigator saying: "The real question is whether government will take on industry."  Actually, the real question is whether government will take on those who would frighten the public with irresponsible charges that their current salt intakes are poisonous.  At a news conference a week ago the U.S. counterpart group, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) claimed highly-salted restaurant meals are excessive, even poisonous.

More and more evidence is being published about how moderate -- and stable -- population salt intakes are around the world.  Activists have claimed high and rising salt intakes.  Neither is true.

A couple months ago, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study of salt intakes in Denmark.  The study of a representative sample of the Danish population found population sodium exactly those found in the U.S. (148 mmol Na) and the UK (149 mmol).  In Denmark, the population consumes 147 mmol.  Interestingly, the study by Anderson et al adjusted the male average (182 mmol) and female average (122) for caloric intake and reported:

no difference was found if total salt intake was measured per energy intake. No significant difference was found between sexes regarding intake of household salt, and neither the educational level nor the age was associated to either total salt intake or intake of household salt.

I guess the citizens of the U.S., U.K., Australia and Denmark didn't get the WASH talking points.  If these activists continue to play fast and loose with the evidence, perhaps more public health agencies will be forced to issue statements like that from FSANZ as they try to preserve their credibility.