NYC Begins Salt Initiative
New York City has opened a new front in the battle to improve the health of its citizens: salt. The goal is to cut salt intake by at least 20% over the next five years.
Americans’ salt intake has increased dramatically in recent decades. We now consume almost twice the recommended limit of salt each day – but not by choice. Nearly 80% of the salt in our diet is added to processed and prepared foods before we buy them. Reducing salt in food will lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Salt reduction will also help prevent strokes, heart attacks, and other problems in people who don’t have clinical high blood pressure.
The initiative calls on food industry leaders to help develop, and then adhere to, sodium targets for all products, using categories such as breads, breakfast cereals and prepared entrees. The goal is to achieve substantial, gradual reductions in salt levels across a wide range of foods. Meeting salt reduction goals will require significant changes in food manufacturing practices, but the changes are feasible.
Unlike previous campaigns against trans fats and hidden calories, this one’s voluntary. City officials are meeting with food industry representatives and restaurateurs to discuss ways to reduce the amount of salt used in common foods such as sauces, soups and salad dressings.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to reduce the amount of salt in your diet, the NYC Health Department has useful guidelines and links on its Cardiovascular Disease Prevention page.
