[Madidus_Scientia (OP)]

A recent news article claims so, http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24745352-36398,00.html

Is this an overstatement? Why is salt so bad for you?

[DoctorBeaver]

I can't help feeling that the salt issue has been blown out of all proportion. As with most things, excessive amounts are bad for you, but it seems at times as if the "experts" want us to do without it altogether.

We need salt. When I lived in Africa I saw many cases of desalination among white people who didn't realise that in a hot climate you need more salt because you sweat it out. My mother even suffered from it in the UK a few years ago during a particularly hot spell. She became lethargic, couldn't concentrate, had no energy - and the doctor mis-diagnosed her several times. I was living quite a long way from her at the time but when I eventually got to see her I was in no doubt what the problem was. Following my advice to increase her salt intake she was better in a couple of days.

[techmind]

The issue of "excessive" salt seems to have become highly politicised in recent years, for reasons unknown. From what I can make out, original research is relatively inconclusive on salt being that big a deal, for the majority of people.
I have noticed that the French and Italian governments (in particular) do not seem to follow the salt-is-evil line in the way that the UK does.

[paul.fr]

I have noticed that the French and Italian governments (in particular) do not seem to follow the salt-is-evil line in the way that the UK does.

Doesn't all of this stem from the parents that were accused of killing their child, by forcing them to consume vast quantaties of salt?