This meta-analysis examines the relationship between salt intake and the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The study included 13 prospective cohort studies with a total of 177,025 participants and over 11,000 vascular events. The results show that higher salt intake is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke (relative risk 1.23, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.43; P=0.007) and cardiovascular disease (1.14, 0.99 to 1.32; P=0.07). The associations were more pronounced with larger differences in sodium intake and longer follow-up periods. The study concludes that high salt intake is a significant risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease, supporting the need for population-wide reductions in salt intake to prevent these conditions.This meta-analysis examines the relationship between salt intake and the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The study included 13 prospective cohort studies with a total of 177,025 participants and over 11,000 vascular events. The results show that higher salt intake is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke (relative risk 1.23, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.43; P=0.007) and cardiovascular disease (1.14, 0.99 to 1.32; P=0.07). The associations were more pronounced with larger differences in sodium intake and longer follow-up periods. The study concludes that high salt intake is a significant risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease, supporting the need for population-wide reductions in salt intake to prevent these conditions.