Coastal Drinking Water Salt Linked to Higher Blood Pressure, Meta-Analysis Finds
A meta-analysis of 27 population studies (over 74,000 participants) finds higher salinity in drinking water—driven by seawater intrusion in coastal areas—associated with higher blood pressure (about 3.22 mmHg systolic and 2.82 mmHg diastolic) and a roughly 26% higher risk of hypertension, strongest near coasts. The findings highlight an environmental factor in cardiovascular risk, note the lack of WHO health-based drinking-water sodium standards, and call for more research on long-term outcomes. Checking local water quality and managing total dietary sodium may help reduce risk.