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| F.D.A. Proposes Guidelines for Salt Added to Food | F.D.A. Proposes Guidelines for Salt Added to Food |
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| The Food and Drug Administration proposed voluntary guidelines for the food industry to reduce salt on Wednesday, a move long sought by consumer and public health advocates who said the standards could eventually help save thousands of American lives. | The Food and Drug Administration proposed voluntary guidelines for the food industry to reduce salt on Wednesday, a move long sought by consumer and public health advocates who said the standards could eventually help save thousands of American lives. |
| Though the guidelines are not mandatory, consumer advocates said they are meaningful because they will serve as a benchmark by which companies can be measured. More than 70 percent of sodium consumed is already in food before it reaches the table, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and health advocates say the guidelines could help reduce that. | Though the guidelines are not mandatory, consumer advocates said they are meaningful because they will serve as a benchmark by which companies can be measured. More than 70 percent of sodium consumed is already in food before it reaches the table, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and health advocates say the guidelines could help reduce that. |
| “While a majority of Americans reports watching or trying to reduce added salt in their diets, the deck has been stacked against them,” the F.D.A. said in a statement. “The majority of sodium intake comes from processed and prepared foods, not the saltshaker.” | |
| Americans eat almost 50 percent more sodium than what most experts recommend. High-sodium diets have been linked to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. One in three Americans have high blood pressure, the agency said. For African-Americans, it is one in two. | Americans eat almost 50 percent more sodium than what most experts recommend. High-sodium diets have been linked to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. One in three Americans have high blood pressure, the agency said. For African-Americans, it is one in two. |
| The F.D.A. said Americans eat about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, well above the 2,300 recommended. According to the C.D.C., a decrease in sodium intake by as little as 400 milligrams a day could prevent 32,000 heart attacks and 20,000 strokes annually. | The F.D.A. said Americans eat about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, well above the 2,300 recommended. According to the C.D.C., a decrease in sodium intake by as little as 400 milligrams a day could prevent 32,000 heart attacks and 20,000 strokes annually. |
| While there has been some scientific controversy over how much to reduce sodium, scientists at the F.D.A. said the health advantages are beyond dispute. | While there has been some scientific controversy over how much to reduce sodium, scientists at the F.D.A. said the health advantages are beyond dispute. |
| “The totality of the scientific evidence supports sodium reduction from current intake levels,” said Susan Mayne, director of the F.D.A.’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. | “The totality of the scientific evidence supports sodium reduction from current intake levels,” said Susan Mayne, director of the F.D.A.’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| The proposed guidelines set targets for the gradual reduction in sodium across a range of food categories for both manufactured and restaurant products. The guidelines would apply to the majority of processed and prepared foods, placing foods in nearly 150 categories from bakery products to soups. The guidelines include “a common system for defining and measuring progress on reducing sodium in the U.S. food supply,” the F.D.A. said. | The proposed guidelines set targets for the gradual reduction in sodium across a range of food categories for both manufactured and restaurant products. The guidelines would apply to the majority of processed and prepared foods, placing foods in nearly 150 categories from bakery products to soups. The guidelines include “a common system for defining and measuring progress on reducing sodium in the U.S. food supply,” the F.D.A. said. |
| The food industry offered tempered reaction. The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association said in a statement, “we believe additional work is needed to determine the acceptable range of sodium intake for optimal health,” including research that indicates health risks for people who consume too much sodium as well as health risks from consuming too little sodium.” But the group said it would work with the F.D.A. on sodium reduction targets. | The food industry offered tempered reaction. The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association said in a statement, “we believe additional work is needed to determine the acceptable range of sodium intake for optimal health,” including research that indicates health risks for people who consume too much sodium as well as health risks from consuming too little sodium.” But the group said it would work with the F.D.A. on sodium reduction targets. |
| Thirty-nine countries have established sodium targets for foods and meals, with 36 of those voluntary, according to Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the C.D.C. The United Kingdom set voluntary sodium reduction targets in 2003, and from 2003 to 2011 sodium intake dropped by 15 percent, he wrote in the medical journal JAMA. During this same period, average blood pressure decreased, following no change in prior years. | Thirty-nine countries have established sodium targets for foods and meals, with 36 of those voluntary, according to Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the C.D.C. The United Kingdom set voluntary sodium reduction targets in 2003, and from 2003 to 2011 sodium intake dropped by 15 percent, he wrote in the medical journal JAMA. During this same period, average blood pressure decreased, following no change in prior years. |
| Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said his group had petitioned the F.D.A. to impose mandatory guidelines but that “they just couldn’t go that far because the food industry would go to Congress and say shut down this process.” | Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said his group had petitioned the F.D.A. to impose mandatory guidelines but that “they just couldn’t go that far because the food industry would go to Congress and say shut down this process.” |
| “The F.D.A. found a sweet spot between doing nothing and regulating,” Dr. Jacobson said. “This will at least give the public benchmarks against which we can gauge sodium content of foods.” | “The F.D.A. found a sweet spot between doing nothing and regulating,” Dr. Jacobson said. “This will at least give the public benchmarks against which we can gauge sodium content of foods.” |
| Dr. Frieden said some companies have already begun to reduce sodium. He named Walmart, Darden, which operates restaurants including the Olive Garden, Unilever, PepsiCo, General Mills, Mars and Nestlé. | Dr. Frieden said some companies have already begun to reduce sodium. He named Walmart, Darden, which operates restaurants including the Olive Garden, Unilever, PepsiCo, General Mills, Mars and Nestlé. |
| In a statement, Mars said it had reduced sodium in its products by a quarter from 2007 to 2012, and plans to reduce by another 20 percent “across our food portfolio” by 2021. “Mars applauds FDA for releasing its draft voluntary guidelines on sodium and we look forward to providing additional comments on the recommendations.” | In a statement, Mars said it had reduced sodium in its products by a quarter from 2007 to 2012, and plans to reduce by another 20 percent “across our food portfolio” by 2021. “Mars applauds FDA for releasing its draft voluntary guidelines on sodium and we look forward to providing additional comments on the recommendations.” |