Context

More than half a century has passed since the idea that the lower blood pressure (BP) associated with lower sodium intake justifies reduced intake for all. Authoritative bodies have subsequently endorsed this view with increasingly ambitious reduction goals. The US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services currently recommend <1.5 g sodium/day for virtually half the population, with <2.3 g1 levels for the remainder. While in much of the world, including the UK and the USA, mean sodium intake approximates 3.5 g/day.2 However, emerging evidence has led to increased uncertainty that, despite BP effects, there is insufficient evidence to support these recommendations.3