October 22/Sydney, Australia/ABC Transcripts -- For years, consumers have been told a low salt diet is good for their health and especially the heart, but now a new study has challenged the effectiveness of that advice. While sodium consumption in the U.S. has not changed in more than 40 years, rates of high blood pressure are still on the rise.
Scientists analysed 38 studies in the U.S. between 1957 and 2003 that measured sodium levels in urine. They found no change in salt intake over a 46-year period.