… as Barry calls it. Following up on what I thought was a particularly interesting topic he reported on recently, I thought I would discuss an article I saw in this week’s edition of the Science Times.

It seems that salt is taking center stage once again in the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Earlier this week mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that New York City is spearheading a “nationwide initiative” to cut salt intake by 50% over the next decade. This campaign, led by the city’s health commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, aims to lower health care costs and prevent premature deaths.

Undoubtedly, the intentions of the DOHMH are good, as this is just one of the many campaigns they have launched recently that aims to improve the quality of food New Yorkers eat. There is just one problem. There is a lack of scientific evidence that warrants a campaign of this magnitude. Though lowering salt may improve blood pressure, it’s not guaranteed that it will improve all aspects of health. In some cases lowering salt may even be destructive. The article cites a randomized control trial which demonstrated that those on a low-sodium diet were more likely to be re-hospitalized after heart failure. It also discussed work from a group at the University of Iowa, which demonstrated that salt can activate reward circuitry in the brain. In this study, rats on a low-sodium diet actually exhibited symptoms of depression. Now that’s not healthy.

The issue here is that the DOHMH used only one marker of health (blood pressure) as evidence to launch this campaign. While a reductionist approach suits a bench scientist quite well, it is not always good for the public. The DOHMH should really look at overall wellness when validating public campaigns, which encompasses both mental and physical health. Perhaps then the NY Times wouldn’t slam them.