Skip the Salt Shaker at Her Active Life

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Skip the Salt Shaker

Posted December 5, 2007 at 04:00 PM by Alexandra M. Haller

Section: Her Health, Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Her News

Salt Shaker If you are at all concerned about your health, then chances are good that at some point you’ve wondered how much sodium is in what you eat. And, like most Americans, you probably consume levels far beyond what is necessary. In the USDA’s ``Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005)’’, they recommended consuming less than 2,300mg of sodium per day. However, most of us are getting more than double that amount, up to 4,000mg per day.

A diet with sodium levels higher than necessary can have disastrous consequences for one’s health. In fact, too much sodium is directly linked to hypertension---high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease, kidney failure, strokes and other conditions which can contribute to an early death.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been trying for years to get the FDA to do something about this, whether in the form of health messages and/or a regulation to lower the sodium content in processed foods. The first public debate on this subject was held on November 29th, 2007. The American Medical Association has also been putting the pressure on the FDA to do something about this growing problem.

Last summer, the American Medical Association (AMA) called for a minimum 50% reduction in sodium in processed foods, fast foods, and non-fast-food restaurant meals within a decade. The group also called on the FDA to work harder to educate consumers about the health risks associated with a high-sodium diet. Texas cardiologist J. James Rohack, MD, who was on the AMA board that issued the directives, says 150,000 lives could be saved in the U.S. annually if everyone cut their sodium consumption in half.

The CSPI argues that with a decrease in the levels of sodium in packaged foods is possible. Other countries have been successful when there was a call for change.

In the United Kingdom and Finland, where public health agencies have made salt reduction a top priority, the food industry has responded by marketing products with less salt in those nations.

The November 29th conference included representatives and officials from many government agencies, health organizations and medical groups. It will be interesting to see what positive developments can occur. In the meantime, keep the salt shaker off the table and limit your consumption of canned goods.

For research and more information:

Medicine Net
Center for Science in the Public Interest
National Institute of Health