Using a substitute could be a cost-effective option to cut back on the salt

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-02-13 03:00

Australia; NSW

Image by Marek from Pixabay

Replacing regular salt with a salt substitute could be a potential cost-saving strategy, according to Aussie and international researchers. The team conducted a trial of 1,612 adults in 48 eldercare facilities across China, splitting the residents into one of four groups: two with salt reduction strategies; one with salt reduction and salt substitution strategies; two with either strategy; and one with neither strategy. The team found the salt substitution strategies showed considerable potential to be cost-saving, while the salt restriction strategies did not show any difference. In the same trial, a second paper involving the same authors (to be published in a different journal with a slightly different embargo time) found the salt substitution also improved blood pressure. Taken together, these findings show salt substitution could not only be good for health, but also cost-effective.

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Research JAMA, Web page The URL will go live after the embargo lifts.

Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Western Sydney University, The University of New South Wales

Funder: Funding/Support: The trial was supported by grant 2016YFC1300200 from the National Key Research and Development Program, Ministry of Science and Technology of China. China Salt General Company at Yulin provided the regular salt and salt substitute used in the study free of charge. Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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