Washington, D.C., 14 December 2012 (PAHO/WHO) — A series of articles in the latest edition of the Pan American Journal of Public Health explore the benefits of reducing dietary salt consumption for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and examine public health interventions for achieving this goal at the population level.

The special edition of the Pan American Journal of Public Health, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), presents evidence and analyses related to salt reduction efforts in the countries of the Americas. The strategies are aimed at preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases related to high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of death worldwide and one of the top causes of death in the Americas.

Three articles in the special October 2012 issue report the results of original research. Sánchez et al. provide an in-depth exploration of behavior related to health, salt consumption, and nutritional labeling preferences in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Claro et al. document attitudes, knowledge, and behavior related to salt consumption in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Ferrante et al. present estimates of the cost-effectiveness of reducing salt intake in Argentina.

In one of four “special reports,” Campbell et al. document the need for program coordination to optimize salt and iodine intake. Nilson et al. discuss progress in a program on salt reduction in Brazil. He et al. document the adverse effects of excess salt intake and highlight the potential benefits of sodium reduction for hypertension, while Levings et al. report on progress toward sodium reduction in the United States.

A review article by Ji et al. provides a systematic analysis of studies comparing 24-hour and spot urine collections. Blanco-Metzler et al. report on progress in Costa Rica’s national salt reduction program.

The Pan American Journal of Public Health (PAJPH) is an open-access, peer-reviewed monthly journal of PAHO/WHO. Its mission is to disseminate scientific public health information to strengthen national and local health systems and improve the health of the peoples of the Americas.

Links:

• Pan American Journal of Public Health, October 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 4)
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