Cost and health consequences of reducing the population intake of salt.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate health and economic consequences of interventions aimed at reducing the daily intake of salt (sodium chloride) by 6 g per person in the Norwegian population. Health promotion (information campaigns), development of new industry food recipes, declaration of salt content in food and taxes on salty food/subsidies of products with less salt, were possible interventions. DESIGN: The study was a simulation model based on present age and sex specific mortality in Norway and estimated impact of blood pressure reductions on the risks of myocardial infarction and stroke as observed in Norwegian follow up studies. A reduction of 2 mm Hg systolic blood pressure (range 1-4) was assumed through the actual interventions. The cost of the interventions in themselves, welfare losses from taxation of salty food/subsidising of food products with little salt, cost of avoided myocardial infarction and stroke treatment, cost of avoided antihypertensive treatment, hospital costs in additional life years and productivity gains from reduced morbidity and mortality were included. RESULTS: The estimated increase in life expectancy was 1.8 months in men and 1.4 in women. The net discounted (5%) cost of the interventions was minus $118 millions (that is, cost saving) in the base case. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the interventions would be cost saving unless the systolic blood pressure reduction were less than 2 mm Hg, productivity gains were disregarded or the welfare losses from price interventions were high. CONCLUSION: Population interventions to reduce the intake of salt are likely to improve the population's health and save costs to society.

[Food habits in Hedmark related to gender, education and marital status]. / Kostvaner i Hedmark i forhold til kjønn, utdanning og sivilstand.

Several studies have shown a positive correlation between length of education and healthy dietary habits. This study examines associations between dietary habits and gender, length of education and marital status among adults in a Norwegian county. In 1997, all residents aged 40-42 (n = 7,870), in Hedmark County were invited to participate in the Age 40 Programme of the National Health Screening Service; 64% participated. Data on the consumption of selected foods were collected by a questionnaire. We found that relatively more women than men had fish at least once a week and fruit/vegetables and skimmed milk at least once a day. Women were also less likely to use butter on sandwiches. Comparing dietary habits with respondents' length of education, we found that a larger proportion of those with more education often had fish, fruit/vegetables and skimmed milk than did those with less education. The better educated were also more likely not to use butter/margarine on sandwiches. No clear correlation between marital status and dietary habits was found. The women in our study adhered more strictly to the recommended use of more fruit and vegetables and less fat than did the men, and the better educated group of respondents had dietary habits which were more in line with dietary recommendations.