For thousands of years, people have used salt to flavor and preserve food. While it remains a staple in kitchens around the world, consuming too much salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and even faster cognitive decline. To help reduce these risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume no more than five grams of salt per day.
Although much of the salt people consume comes from processed and prepared foods, adding salt at the table still contributes between 6% and 20% of total intake. Researchers know that this habit varies among different groups of people, but it has not always been clear who is most likely to reach for the saltshaker in different cultural settings.
A new study published in Frontiers in Public Health sought to answer that question among older adults in Brazil.
"Adding salt to food at the table remains a relatively common habit among Brazilian older adults and occurs more frequently among men than among women," said first author Dr. Flávia Brito, an associate professor at Rio de Janeiro State University.
"Women's salt-adding behavior, however, was associated with a wider range of social and dietary characteristics than men's," added co-author Dr. Débora Santos, a titular professor at Rio de Janeiro State University.
