A recent study has reportedly claimed that dietary salt intake has remained constant in the U.S. population for the past five decades, raising questions about government efforts to restrict sodium consumption. Adam Bernstein and Walter Willett, “Trends in 24-h urinary sodium excretion in the United States, 1957–2003: a systematic review,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2010. Researchers examined data on urine sodium excretions collected from 26,271 individuals by 38 MEDLINE studies published between 1957 and 2003. “In a multivariate random-effects model with study year, sex, age, and race, the study year was not associated with any significant change in sodium excretions,” states the abstract, which concludes that “[s]odium intake in the US adult population appears to be well above current guidelines and does not appear to have decreased with time.” The study was accompanied by an editorial questioning the effectiveness of a U.S. sodium reduction policy that targets, not…
Tag Archives salt/sodium
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced five grants geared toward researching, developing and implementing sodium-reduction strategies. Totaling $1.9 million, the grants “will support policy strategies to create healthier food environments and help reduce sodium intake for a three-year funding period,” stated CDC, which identified the grantees as California (working with Shasta County); Kansas (working with Shawnee County); Los Angeles County; New York City; and New York state (working with Broome and Schenectady counties). The agency specifically cited studies indicating “that on average U.S. adults consume more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day,” with an estimated 77 percent of this intake coming from “processed and restaurant foods.” According to CDC, each funded project will implement “at least one major sodium reduction policy as well as evaluation activities” that build on existing community policies “to improve nutrition and lower blood pressure.” Such activities could include “working…
Canadian health ministers reportedly met in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to discuss several health initiatives, including a plan to reduce the daily recommended intake of sodium to 2,300 mg from 3,400 mg by 2016. According to a September 14, 2010, press release issued by Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky, government officials in attendance considered (i) “a framework for action to promote healthy weights (including reducing childhood obesity)”; (ii) “a commitment to make marketing healthy foods for children a priority”; and (iii) “supporting the call of Canadian Premiers for everyone to lower their personal sodium intake (including encouraging the food industry to meet voluntary targets for sodium reduction in prepared and packaged foods).” The ministers have reportedly accepted the new target sodium levels, which were the subject of closed-door meetings with Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. “Our interim goal is to see the Canadian populations reduce their average sodium intake…
The Canadian Sodium Working Group (SWG) has released a report detailing a three-pronged strategy that aims to reduce the public’s salt consumption. After examining the issue for two years, the federally mandated group has established an interim sodium intake goal of a population average of 2,300 mg per day by 2016, with the ultimate goal of lowering “sodium intakes to a population mean whereby as many individuals as possible (greater than 95%) have a daily intake below the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of 2,300 mg per day.” To achieve these targets, the strategy contains six overarching and 27 specific recommendations focused on reducing sodium levels in processed food products and foods sold in restaurant and food service establishments; educating consumers, industry, health professionals, and other key stakeholders; and undertaking new research. In particular, the report urges (i) “published sodium reduction targets for foods”; (ii) “defined timelines”; (iii) “a mechanism…
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a report that claims less than 10 percent of American adults limit their daily sodium intake to recommended levels. Titled “Sodium Intake Among Adults—United States, 2005-2006,” the report also suggests that processed grains and meats, including poultry and luncheon meats, provide two-thirds of sodium in the U.S. diet. In addition, approximately 77 percent of dietary sodium purportedly comes from processed and restaurant foods, many of which do not taste salty. U.S. adults consume more than twice the current recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, according to the report, which examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. “Sodium has become so pervasive in our food supply that it’s difficult for the vast majority of Americans to stay within recommended limits,” said lead author Janelle Peralez Gunn. “Public health professionals, together with food manufacturers, retailers and health care…
The United Kingdom’s (UK) public health watchdog has issued new guidance that claims salt and saturated fat reduction could prevent 40,000 unnecessary deaths a year from heart disease and stroke. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has called for a maximum daily intake of 6g of salt per adult by 2015 and 3g daily by 2025. In addition, it has recommended that manufacturers reduce the levels of saturated fats in all food products and eliminate the use of trans fats. The guidance also urges the National Health Service and other policy makers to (i) ensure that low-salt and low-fat foods can be sold for less than their higher-content equivalents; (ii) extend restrictions on TV advertising “for foods high in saturated fats, salt and sugar to 9 p.m. to protect children”; (iii) encourage “local planning authorities to restrict planning permission for take-aways and other food retail outlets in…
At the request of Congress, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has prepared and released a report titled “Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States.” Starting from the premise that “Americans consume unhealthy amounts of sodium in their food,” which puts some 100,000 at risk of premature death from conditions related to high blood pressure, the report calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “set mandatory national standards for the sodium content in foods—not banning outright the addition of salt to foods but beginning the process of reducing excess sodium in processed foods and menu items to a safer level.” According to IOM, this reduction must be carried out gradually so consumers’ tastes could adjust, a process that could take up to 10 years. Other recommendations include an FDA modification of the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of sodium-containing compounds added to processed foods—“that is, change…
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has announced an April 21, 2010, briefing to release the findings of its Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake Committee, which investigated various means “that could be employed to reduce dietary sodium intake to levels recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” To be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the 10 a.m. briefing will also include a live audio webcast. The IOM committee includes experts associated with the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Georgetown University School of Medicine; Kraft Foods; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Mathematic Policy Research, Inc.; Monell Chemical Senses Center; National Institutes of Health; New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Oklahoma State University; University of California, Hastings College of Law; University of Cincinnati; and RTI International. Its forthcoming report “may address a range of focal points including but not limited…
A federal court in Illinois has dismissed putative class claims alleging that Denny’s Corp. fails to inform consumers that some of its menu items contain excessive levels of salt. Ciszewski v. Denny’s Corp., No. 09-5355 (N.D. Ill., decided April 7, 2010). Additional information about the case can be found in issue 318 of this Update. The court determined that the named plaintiff failed to sufficiently plead a violation of the state’s consumer fraud statute because he failed to identify any particular deceptive communication generated by Denny’s. Indeed, plaintiff made clear that his claim was based on alleged deceptive omissions. Because Illinois law requires “some communication from the defendant, either a communication containing a deceptive misrepresentation or one with a deceptive omission,” the court ruled that he had “failed to plead the circumstances constituting the fraud with sufficient particularity.” With the fraud claim dismissed, the court also dismissed derivative unjust enrichment…
A New York resident has sued Campbell Soup Co. alleging that its “Less Sodium” and “Healthy Request” tomato soups are falsely advertised because they contain the same levels of salt and fat as the company’s “regular” tomato soup. Smajlaj v. Campbell Soup Co., No. 10-1332 D.N.J., filed March 12, 2010). Seeking to certify a nationwide class of soup purchasers, the plaintiff alleges that while the company’s “25% Less Sodium” tomato soup contains 480 mg of sodium per serving, so does the company’s “regular” tomato soup. She also alleges that “Healthy Request” soup, advertised as “low in fat and cholesterol,” contains 1.5 grams of fat per serving, while the “regular” tomato soup has 0 grams of fat per serving. According to the complaint, the company sells the “Less Sodium” and “Healthy Request” soups “for a substantially higher price—up to at least 50% higher,” than the “regular” soup. The plaintiff alleges violation of…
