Overall, the intervention led to a significant reduction in sodium intake and increased enjoyment of a salt-restricted diet. The researchers compared changes between groups, from the study’s baseline mark to its completion between. Three patients withdrew from the study, and the final analysis included 17 and nine participants in the intervention and usual care groups, respectively. The average age of participants was 63 years and 55% were men.
In addition, their preference for salty food and enjoyment of a salt-restricted diet was evaluated on a 10-point scale. “Most participants removed the salt shaker from the table within three weeks,” explains Chung.Īt baseline and 16 weeks, all participants provided a 24-hour urine sample to assess sodium intake and had their blood pressure measured. Some study participants automatically added salt to the table before tasting the food, so they were asked to count the number of ‘shakes’ and set goals for reducing it. They also used it at home to lower the salt content in their cooking,” she details. “Using the electronic device, they could test the salt content of restaurant meals and ask the chef to reduce or eliminate salt on their next visit. Participants received an electronic device that detects salt content to identify and avoid high salt food.Īccording to Chung, one of the first steps was for patients to realize how much salt they were eating. The program was individualized to each patient’s barriers and weekly goals and included salt added at the table, salt used during cooking, grocery shopping and eating in restaurants. Participants in the usual care group received routine medical and nursing care for hypertension, including advice to follow a sodium-restricted diet and take prescribed medications. A total of 29 adults with hypertension were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care in a 2:1 ratio. The study examined its short-term effects on sodium intake, blood pressure, preference for salty food, and enjoyment of a sodium-restricted diet. The researchers developed the Sodium Watchers Programme – Hypertension (SWaP-HTN) for gradual taste adaptation to low salt food.The researchers developed the Sodium Watchers Programme – Hypertension (SWaP-HTN) for gradual taste adaptation to low salt food. However, the benefits of reduced sodium intake on blood pressure tend to diminish with time, partly due to poor adherence, the scientists warn. Recently, NutritionInsight reported that new research funded by the US National Institutes of Health found that those who develop high blood pressure-related disorders during pregnancy have a significantly higher risk of future cardiac events, such as heart attack or stroke.Ī healthy lifestyle, including salt restriction, is recommended to delay the need for blood pressure-lowering drugs or complement their effects. Hypertension affects more than one billion people worldwide and is the leading global cause of premature death. “Our pilot study in patients with high blood pressure shows that it is possible to change taste perception and learn to like food with less salt.” “One of the major barriers to sticking to a low salt diet is that people do not like the taste, but few studies have addressed this issue,” says study author Professor Misook Chung of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, US. This is according to a study presented at ACNAP-EuroHeartCare Congress 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Researchers have uncovered that it is possible for hypertension patients to acclimate their taste perceptions to a low sodium diet over time.
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