The odds of dying from cardiovascular disease are stacked against daily consumers of salty foods.

This study examined whether daily ingestion of foods rich in sodium (Na) could increase cardiovascular mortality risk. Researchers analyzed nutritional and mortality data extracted from a pool of 229,785 men and women who participated in 11 studies.

Researchers found a 1% increase in deaths arising from cardiovascular disease among participants who consumed additional 10 mmol of sodium per day. This study concluded that "higher Na intake was associated with higher CVD mortality in the general population; this result suggests a reduction in Na intake to prevent CVD mortality from any cause."