|
The Food and Nutrition Board released the sixth in a series of reports
presenting dietary reference values for the intake of nutrients by Americans and
Canadians. This new report establishes nutrient recommendations on water, salt
and potassium to maintain health and reduce chronic disease risk. The data
allows to draw comparisons with the Australian population. Highlights of
the report include:
- The vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration
needs by letting thirst be their guide. The report did not specify exact
requirements for water, but set general recommendations for women at
approximately 2.7 litres of total water - from all beverages
and foods - each day, and men an average of approximately 3.7 litres of total water. The panel did not set an upper level for
water.
- About 80 percent of people's total water intake comes from drinking water
and beverages - including caffeinated beverages - and the other 20 percent
is derived from food.
- Prolonged physical activity and heat exposure will increase water losses
and therefore may raise daily fluid needs, although it is important to note
that excessive amounts can be life-threatening.
- Healthy 19 to 50 year old adults should consume 1.5 grams of sodium and
2.3 grams of chloride each day - or 3.8 grams of salt - to replace the
amount lost daily on average through sweat, and to achieve a diet that
provides sufficient amounts of other essential nutrients.
- The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for salt is set at 5.8 grams per
day. More than 95 percent of American men and 90 percent of Canadian men
ages 31 to 50, and 75 percent of American women and 50 percent of Canadian
women in this age range regularly consume salt in excess of the UL.
- Older individuals, and people with chronic diseases
including hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease are especially
sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of salt and should consume
less than the UL.
- Adults should consume at least 4.7 grams of potassium per day to lower
blood pressure, blunt the effects of salt, and reduce the risk of kidney
stones and bone loss. However, most American women 31 to 50 years old
consume no more than half of the recommended amount of potassium, and men's
intake is only moderately higher.
- There was no evidence of chronic excess intakes of potassium in apparently
health individuals and thus no UL was established.
Published
by the Institute of Medicine Washington, USA, on 11 February,
2004.
Editor's comments: This
report is contradictory to the results of scientific studies, published
by the Salt Institute, USA. More importantly, it refers to the total
intake of salt, without specifying its sources (natural or refined).
|
