Salt may weaken bones

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 24

Salt may weaken bones

PA . Wellington New Zealanders could be weakening their bones by having too much salt in their diets, according to research at Otago University. A statement from the New Zealand Milk Board said the research had shown that increasing salt in the diets of animals and people led to an increased loss of calcium from the body.

Dr Ailsa Goulding, a senior research officer at the Otago School of Medicine, said unless the calcium was replaced in the diet it was taken from the bones. “The long-term result of losing calcium from the bones without it being replaced is loss of bone structure. “When this happens the bones become brittle and break more easily, leading to the disease known as

osteoporosis, which is common in the elderly in Western countries such as New Zealand.” Dr Goulding advised people to keep up their intake of calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt and tinned fish, exercise regularly and sit out in the sun. She said from the results of the research it would seem a good idea to cut salt intake.