“Japanese people need more dietary intake of folate and vitamin B-6, which may lead to the prevention of heart disease,” said Hiroyasu Iso, M.D., professor of public health at Osaka University.

The findings on the value of B vitamins were consistent with studies in Europe and North America, although the dietary consumption of vitamin B-6 is generally lower in Japan than in the United States.

Researchers analyzed data from 23,119 men and 35,611 women (ages 40-79) who completed food frequency questionnaires as part of the large Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study. During a median 14 years of follow-up, 986 died from stroke, 424 from heart disease and 2,087 from all diseases related to the cardiovascular system.

Investigators divided participants into five groups based on their intake of folate, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12. Comparing those with the diets lowest and highest for each nutrient, they found that higher consumption of folate and vitamin B-6 was associated with significantly fewer deaths from heart failure in men, and significantly fewer deaths from stroke, heart disease and total cardiovascular diseases in women. Vitamin B-12 intake was not associated with reduced mortality risk.

The protective effects of folate and vitamin B-6 didn’t change when researchers adjusted for the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, nor when they eliminated supplement users from the analysis. Folate and vitamin B-6 may help guard against cardiovascular disease by lowering homocysteine levels, the investigators said. Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that’s affected by diet and heredity. Folic acid and other B vitamins help break down homocysteine in the body.

A direct causal link hasn’t been established, but evidence has shown that too much homocysteine may damage the inner lining of arteries and promote the formation of blood clots.

Sources of folate include vegetables and fruits, whole or enriched grains, fortified cereals, beans and legumes. Sources of vitamin B-6 include vegetables, fish, liver, meats, whole grains and fortified cereals.

Co-authors include: Renzhe Cui, M.D.; Chigusa Date, M.D.; Shogo Kikuchi, M.D.; Akiko Tamakoshi, M.D.; and the JACC study group. Author disclosures and funding sources are on the manuscript.

Source
American Heart Association

“It’s alarming that young Swedish men are consuming so much salt, and something needs to be done about it. We can really only speculate on the consequences of such a high salt intake later on in life, in the form of cardiovascular diseases and stroke,” says Lena Hulthén, Professor in Clinical Nutrition at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

The study included almost a hundred men in their twenties. Urine samples from all participants were analysed over a 24-hour period. The participants also answered questions about their eating habits. The urine samples showed that the young men were consuming at least two times the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily intake of six grams.

“High salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, but we couldn’t detect any connection in our study. High blood pressure doesn’t usually develop until a person is in their 30s or 40s, since the kidneys’ ability to deal with the excess salt deteriorates with age,” says Lena Hulthén.

Salt in food is found largely in ready meals such as pizza and frozen meat hash, but it is also in bread, cheese, meat sandwich fillings, fish products, breakfast cereals and other products produced by the food industry. An earlier Danish study has shown that only a tenth of the salt that we consume comes from our own salt cellars.

“The food industry needs clear regulations on how much salt it is allowed to use if we want to reduce total salt intake. One solution could be to follow Finland’s example, where all food packaging has to clearly state the salt content to make it easier for the consumer to select products containing less salt,” says Lena Hulthén.

Salt in food

People who consume a lot of salt run a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, which in turn is one of the key causes of heart problems and stroke. The National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket) recommends that Swedish women consume no more than six grams of salt a day, and Swedish men no more than seven grams, but the authority would ideally like to see us consuming between five and six grams a day. The National Food Administration would also like to see children consuming less salt.

Source: University of Gothenburg

The new survey*, conducted for Siemens in conjunction with The Stroke Association to launch the annual Stroke for Stroke campaign, found that less than half of those questioned (43%) believe they adhere to the GDA (Guideline daily amount) for salt of 6g per day. Also the vast majority (85%) of those questioned failed to take the government recommended 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. This lack of regular exercise, combined with a high salt intake, could lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.

The research revealed a general lack of awareness about overall salt consumption and the level of salt found in foods. While 92% of those surveyed believe that too much salt is bad for their health, 40% were unable to correctly identify six grams or one teaspoon as the maximum recommended daily salt allowance for an adult and, worryingly, 64% of those questioned are not concerned about their salt intake.

Perhaps surprisingly, those aged under 18 are most conscientious about always looking at the salt content of foods before buying (21% compared to the national average of less than 10%), but this doesn’t appear to lead to a reduction in the amount of ready-made and takeaway meals consumed by this age group. On average under-18s consume more than three of these types of meal per week, the highest of any age group, with 16% consuming seven or more every week.

The under 18s are also the least aware (53%, compared with 76% for all other age groups) that salt present in the food they buy is likely to constitute their main source of salt intake. In common with all other age groups, over three-quarters (78%) of under 18s regularly add more salt to their food during cooking or consumption, leading to a potentially very high weekly salt intake. This, coupled with the fact that 84% of young people exercise fewer than five times per week, means that this group could be increasingly at risk of serious health problems in later life.

Siemens carried out the research as part of the launch of their third annual Stroke for Stroke campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of stroke and highlight the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise as an effective means of stroke prevention.

Andreas J. Goss, chief executive, Siemens in the UK, said: “Stroke is the UK’s third biggest killer and contrary to popular belief it can affect people of any age. It is imperative that people take regular exercise and modify their lifestyle habits and diet if they are to reduce the risk of suffering from serious health conditions such as stroke.”

Wendy Martinson, Registered Dietician and Sports Nutritionist to the Great Britain Rowing Team, said: “A combination of poor dietary choices and habits, along with lack of regular exercise, could result in serious future health problems. A campaign such as Stroke for Stroke can raise awareness of the importance of taking positive action in your diet and lifestyle to improve your health. The risk of stroke is patently real and these warnings need to be acknowledged.”

Joe Korner, Director of Communications for The Stroke Association comments: “Each year an estimated 150,000 people in the UK will suffer a stroke. High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke, eating too much salt on a regular basis as well as not exercising can contribute to this. Stroke for Stroke is now in its third year and a campaign like this is integral to raising awareness of how regular exercise and lifestyle choices can help prevent a stroke, which is clearly a message the UK still needs to hear.”

The Stroke for Stroke campaign will run between 25 – 31 January 2010 and will challenge members of the public to row 10km (or more), helping to raise vital funds for the charity. Not having access to a rowing machine is no excuse, as Stroke for Stroke has teamed up with Nuffield Health to offer a free five day pass to their nationwide network of Fitness & Wellbeing Centres for everyone taking part in Stroke for Stroke. The campaign is open to everyone across the UK. The campaign website contains useful information on stroke prevention, including limiting salt intake and taking regular exercise.

Notes

*The research was carried out by One Poll in September 2009 and questioned 3,000 participants. Siemens Stroke for Stroke Week is supported by The Stroke Association. Full details and a link to the justgiving website can be found at http://www.strokeforstroke.co.uk

Source
Nuffield Health
Siemens in the UK
The Stroke Association