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Veel mensen drinken te weinig water, eten te veel
zout en te weinig kalium*.
Americans can let
thirst be their guide in drinking but need to cut way back on salt, a panel of
experts said on Wednesday.
An obsession with "hydration" may have
spawned an entire industry of little water bottles, water bottle holders and
regular drink breaks at gyms, but most people get plenty of fluids, the
Institute of Medicine panel said.
But nearly all U.S. and Canadian adults get far
more salt than recommended, and too little potassium, the panel of experts said.
The Institute, an independent body that advises
the federal government on health matters, set general recommendations for water
intake based on dozens of studies that show women need about 91 ounces (2.7
liters) on average of water a day and men need 125 ounces (3.7 liters).
Food, coffee and even beer or other drinks all
contribute, so it is impossible to say how many glasses of plain water someone
should drink, the panel said.
Only those who are very physically active or who
live in hot climates may need to drink more water, the researchers said.
"While drinking water is a frequent choice
for hydration, people also get water from juice, milk, coffee, tea, soda,
fruits, vegetables, and other foods and beverages as well," Dr. Lawrence
Appel, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and
chairman of the panel, said in a statement.
"Moreover, we concluded that on a daily
basis, people get adequate amounts of water from normal drinking behavior -
consumption of beverages at meals and in other social situations - and by
letting their thirst guide them."
But the panel said most North Americans consume
far too much salt, much of it in processed foods.
Healthy 19- to 50-year-old adults should consume
3.8 grams of salt a day. Any more can, in some people, lead to high blood
pressure, which in turn causes stroke, heart and kidney disease.
The panel of advisers, which included experts on
nutrition, pediatrics, geriatrics and other areas, said the most salt anyone
should consume is 5.8 grams a day.
Almost everyone gets more than this - U.S. men's
median intake of salt is between 7.8 and 11.8 grams per day, and women take in
between 5.8 and 7.8 grams every day, the panel found.
Canadian adults consume between 5.1 and 9.7 grams
a day.
"Older individuals, African Americans, and
people with chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, and kidney
disease are especially sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of salt
and should consume less than the upper limit," the panel said in a
statement.
It said more than 95 percent of American and 75
percent of American women get more than this.
And Americans get far too little potassium every
day - adding to their risk of high blood pressure and bone loss, the panel
found.
It said adults should consume 4.7 grams of
potassium per day but most American women 31 to 50 years old consume no more
than half this. Canadians typically get more potassium, which is found in fresh
fruits and vegetables.
"Research is needed to find ways to help people select better food choices to reduce their salt intake and boost their potassium consumption," Appel said. The panel recommended that researchers help food processors develop better ways of making food that is low in salt. February, 2004