The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a milestone in its voluntary sodium reduction program by meeting its Phase I goal and releasing draft guidance for Phase II. On this next phase, the FDA plans to cut back sodium levels in packaged and processed foods by a further 20% to bring average intake to about 2,750 milligrams per day.
In line with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, an individual should eat not more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, which is about one teaspoon of salt. The FDA launched its sodium reduction program in 2021 and set a 2.5-year goal. The goal for Phase I used to be to cut back average day by day sodium intake from 3,400 milligrams to three,000 milligrams.
High sodium intake is linked to health problems reminiscent of elevated blood pressure, a serious risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that reducing sodium intake could prevent lots of of 1000’s of premature deaths and illnesses. Nevertheless, to effectively reduce sodium consumption, changes should be made within the food supply itself, as greater than 70 percent of sodium comes from processed and ready foods.
“Reducing sodium within the food supply has the potential to be probably the most necessary public health initiatives of a generation. The early successes we’re seeing in reducing sodium in certain foods are encouraging and reveal the impact we imagine our overall approach to nutrition can have on society’s well-being,” said Jim Jones, FDA’s deputy commissioner for food for human consumption, in a Press release.
Phase II continues to give attention to sodium levels in commercially processed, packaged and ready foods available on the market.
“Along with our sodium reduction efforts, FDA can be actively working on an upcoming final rule to update the definition of the ‘healthy’ claim, a proposed rule on front-of-package nutrition labeling, and exploring ways to cut back consumption of added sugars. Sodium reduction and other FDA nutrition initiatives are central to a broader, government-wide approach to reducing the burden of diet-related chronic diseases and improving health equity,” Jones added.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting sodium intake to not more than 2,300 milligrams per day, with a super limit of 1,500 milligrams for individuals with hypertension. They suggest that reducing day by day sodium intake by 1,000 milligrams can significantly improve blood pressure and heart health.
