Reduction in Salt Intake Necessary for Healthy Heart

Salt can be found in many prepared foods, most commonly in cheese, lunch meats, and canned foods. A healthy adult needs about 1500mg/d of sodium for nutritional value and to replace sweat losses. The daily maximum intake, recommended by the American Heart Association, is 2,300 mg, which equals only a teaspoon of salt.¹ The average American consumes daily between 2,900 to 4,300 mg of sodium. This is far beyond the healthy limit.²

Research indicates that increased sodium intake can raise blood pressure.³ High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke, coronary heart disease, heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease.² These consequences have motivated the Food and Drug Administration and health organizations to help lower American's daily intake of sodium. One recommendation from the AHA is changing food labels by lowering the sodium threshold for items claiming to be "low in sodium." The American Heart Association suggests that the word "healthy" should only appear on foods with less than 480 mg of sodium per serving to aid the consumer in making better choices in nutrition.³

Why Employers Should Care?

• 1 out of 4 Americans have high blood pressure or hypertension.⁴
• Almost half of adults over the age of 45 have high blood pressure.⁴
• Hypertension doubles the lifetime risk of stroke.⁴
• The direct and indirect costs of hypertension in the U.S. in 2007 were $66.4 billion.⁴

Ways to reduce your sodium intake: Choose fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts. Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils. Limit salty snacks, like chips and pretzels. Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables to homemade dishes. Select unsalted, fat-free broths, bouillons or soups. Select fat-free or low-fat milk, low-sodium, low-fat cheeses, as well as low-fat yogurt. Ask for dishes to be prepared without salt when dining out. Use spices and herbs to enhance the taste of food instead of salt. Source: American Heart Association. Sodium. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708. Accessed on January 2, 2008.

1. American Heart Association. Sodium. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708. Accessed on January 2, 2008.
2. American Heart Association. Why Should I Limit Sodium? Dallas: American Heart Association; 2007.
3. American Heart Association. Sodium Guidelines Set by the FDA. Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4718. Accessed on January 2, 2008.
4. National Committee for Quality Assurance. Controlling high blood pressure. In: The State of Health Care Quality 2007. Washington: NCQA; 2007.