Habitual consumers of salt and individuals who gradually increase the amount of salt they eat both face heightened risk of developing high blood pressure, as stated by a study featured in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study confirms the need to maintain a low-salt diet over a lifetime.

Heart disease is not only the No. 1 killer for U.S. residents, but Hispanics face higher risks of cardiovascular diseases because of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, affects 70 million American adults (29 percent of the U.S. population). Nearly 1-of-3 Americans have pre-hypertension, blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but hasn't reached high blood pressure range.

The Center for American Progress indicates that hypertension is slightly less prevalent among Latina women, at 29 percent, than among white women, at 31 percent. However, Latinos overall face increased risk of high blood pressure due to difficulties accessing health care, language barriers, lack of health insurance and lack of transportation. Also, Latinos are more likely to delay care, drop out of treatment when symptoms dissipate and avoid visits to the doctor's office.

The aforementioned study examined more than 4,000 people, and researchers documented that 23 percent of participants developed high blood pressure over the span of three years. Participants who consumed the most salt were most likely to have high blood pressure by the conclusion of the study. The same results were recorded for participants who gradually increased sodium intake.

Study authors analyzed the amount of sodium in the urine of participants when they visited their healthcare provider during routine checkups. Also, they conducted follow-up analysis for three years. By the study's end, the least amount of sodium consumed was 2,925 mg per day, and the most consumed was 5,644 mg per day.

"In our study, it did not matter whether their sodium levels were high at the beginning of the study or if they were low to begin with, then gradually increased over the years -- both groups were at greater risk of developing high blood pressure," Tomonori Sugiura, M.D., Ph.D., the study's lead author and an assistant professor in the Department of Cardio-Renal Medicine and Hypertension at the Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in, Nagoya, Japan, said in a statement.

The study documented the importance of maintaining a low sodium diet over a lifetime. It also confirmed findings published by other studies, which indicates a strong relationship between salt and high blood pressure. The study author assured that though the study focuses on Japanese participants, it's applicable to Americans, particularly because Americans tend to consume 1,000 milligrams more than public health agencies advise.

"Reducing sodium intake can save lives, save money and improve heart health -- no matter what background or nationality a person is," Sugiura continued.

For some, the excess of sodium can burden the heart, due to additional fluid in the body. Heart attacks, strokes and heart failures become more likely. According to the researchers, more than 75 percent of sodium in the U.S. diet can be found in processed food. Approximately 90 of individuals in the U.S. consume far too much sodium, usually when ingesting the "salty six," which consists of bread and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soup and sandwiches.

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