Aussies have been urged to shake things up in the kitchen and at the dinner table by making a simple swap that could reduce their risk of high blood pressure (hypertension); the leading cause of preventable death in Australia.
A new paper by Australia’s National Hypertension Taskforce recommends substituting regular salt, which is high in sodium, with potassium-enriched salt, saying the switch can significantly reduce high blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart attacks, particularly for people already living with hypertension.
National Hypertension Taskforce member and Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, says this small change can make a big difference.
“Your traditional Sunday roast or summer barbecue will still taste the same but will be better for your health. Research shows us that high sodium consumption is linked to hypertension so replacing sodium with potassium, an important mineral found in fruit and vegetables, is a simple but effective way to reduce your risk. And to make life easier, you can find potassium-enriched salt at your local supermarket.”
A recent global modelling study on the health effects of switching from regular salt to potassium-enriched salt by The George Institute of Global Health found replacing regular salt with potassium-enriched salt in Australia alone could prevent approximately 500 stroke deaths and 2,000 stroke events each year.
“This recommendation aligns with the latest international guidance from the World Health Organization, the European Society of Cardiology, and the American Heart Association, and has the potential to save thousands of Australian lives,” Dr Murphy said.
High blood pressure affects around one in three Australian adults and remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability nationwide. Excess sodium and insufficient potassium intake are key dietary drivers. Despite the strong evidence supporting the benefits of potassium-enriched salt, it is inconsistently recommended by clinicians and rarely used by patients.
“This is due mostly to clinicians and patients being unaware of the availability, effectiveness and acceptability of potassium-enriched salt and we want to change that,” Dr murphy said.
It is hoped the taskforce’s position, published in the National Journal of Hypertension, paves the way for the recommendations to be adopted more widely and marks an important step forward in the national effort to prevent and control hypertension.
The National Hypertension Taskforce was founded by the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance (ACvA) and Hypertension Australia, with significant support from Stroke Foundation and Heart Foundation as cofounding members. The Taskforce aims to increase the number of Australians with their blood pressure both treated and controlled effectively from 32% to 70% by 2030.
