FDA's Salt Assault on the American Diet: Reduce Consumption to 2,300 Milligrams Per Day – How Many Teaspoons Is That? Guideline Effects on Food Industry
New FDA Guideline Aims to Reduce Salt Content in Packaged and Restaurant Food
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently came out with a guideline, albeit voluntary, in order to help lower the salt consumption in the U.S. to 2,300 milligrams per day (1 teaspoon). The said amount is considerably below the average sodium intake of Americans at 3,400 milligrams per day (1.5 teaspoons).
The new proposal is directed at the food industry in the country to reduce the sodium content in packaged and restaurant foods.
"Sodium reduction through voluntary reductions by industry and facilitated by FDA guidelines will put choice into the hands of consumers, will save lives and money, and is an achievable and effective public health strategy that should be implemented without delay," wrote Thomas R. Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in his article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Salt Intake Reduction in the U.S.
According to the FDA, one in three individuals is suffering from hypertension. This condition is associated with high sodium consumption and is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
Frieden notes that while there has been a noticeable decline in the U.S. mortality rate related to heart disease and stroke in recent years, the downward trend has slowed down. The U.S. government has been working on a public health strategy to reduce salt intake among Americans for decades. However, it has also been an uphill battle and almost like a lost cause because of the ubiquity of dietary sodium in the U.S. food supply.
This sentiment was seconded by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell, saying, "Many Americans want to reduce sodium in their diets, but that's hard to do when much of it is in everyday products we buy in stores and restaurants."
"Today's announcement is about putting power back in the hands of consumers, so that they can better control how much salt is in the food they eat and improve their health," Burwell added.
Varying Guidelines for Salt Intake
While the new guideline is significant in terms of public health, other recommendations vary from the standard set by the FDA. The American Heart Association, for instance, advises a salt intake limit of 1,500 milligrams per day.
Meanwhile, a study back in 2014 found that people whose salt intake ranges between 3,000 and 6,000 milligrams a day has the lowest death rate. This means that the average American salt intake is within the same range.
One thing to note is the fact that salt tolerance could vary between individuals, considering other factors like one's genes. For now, the new FDA guideline stands. This could help in campaigning against the use of too much salt in the everyday American diet and save lives in the process.
