Association Between Changes in Salt Intake and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 41275512 · doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuaf222
What was done
Systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials identified across nine databases up to December 2024. Salt intake was categorized into high (>15 g/day), moderate (5–15 g/day), and low (<5 g/day) to evaluate systolic and diastolic blood pressure changes. Study-level meta-regression explored continuous dose-response trends alongside subgroup and sensitivity analyses.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes in mmHg, or confidence intervals. Across 43 randomized controlled trials (1983–2024), higher salt intake was associated with higher blood pressure and lower intake with larger blood pressure reductions in a graded categorical manner. Continuous dose-response trends were not statistically significant.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes English- and Chinese-language trial evidence to demonstrate that lower categorical salt intake consistently aligns with reduced blood pressure across diverse populations.
Limits
The abstract reports no numerical data, confidence intervals, or total participant sample size. Continuous meta-regression failed to reach statistical significance, reflecting potential exposure measurement error, adherence variation, and between-study heterogeneity.
Cited by
- supports In individuals with salt sensitivity, adopting a reduced-salt diet significantly improves blood pressure.