Sodium Reduction in Communities Program Journal Supplement
A special supplement published online ahead of print in theJournal of Public Health Management and Practicehighlights the work of CDC’s Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP). The January/February supplemental edition titled, “Public Health Interventions to Reduce Sodium Intake” features articles focusing on the methods, progress, and lessons learned from the SRCP. CDC launched the SRCP in 2010. Through this 3-year program six communities worked to implement local-level strategies to increase the availability and accessibility of lower sodium foods for consumers. CDC recently awarded funding to seven sites across the country for a second three year SRCP.
The special supplement may be found here:http://journals.lww.com/jphmp/toc/2014/01001.
Global Sodium Reduction Efforts A community-based sodium reduction intervention in rural China resulted in lower sodium intake, according to findings presented at the American Heart Association’s 2013 Scientific Sessions. The study, “A large-scale cluster randomized trial to determine the effects of community-based dietary sodium reduction—the China Rural Health Initiative” included 120 villages; 60 received education on lowering sodium intake and 60 received no intervention. A reduced sodium salt substitute was also promoted through the community health education program and throughout village convenience stores in the villages receiving the intervention. Of the 60 intervention villages, 30 were randomly assigned to receive a price subsidy for the salt substitute, and 30 paid full price. After 18 months, 24-hour urine samples from 20 people in each intervention village found –
·Sodium intake was reduced by ~300 mg compared with non-intervention villages.
·Sodium intake was reduced by ~400 mg in villages receiving the price subsidy.
The intervention is part of a larger, five-year study in the same region to determine whether the community-based sodium reduction intervention impacts the prevalence of high blood pressure and stroke. More information may be found here:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000287031300447X.
New Restaurant Nutrition Guidelines from RAND Experts convened by the RAND Corporation recently developed guidelines for more healthful restaurant meals, including recommendations for sodium. The restaurant performance standards are intended to be used as a model for states, localities, or organizations when developing certification programs for restaurants. The guidelines recommend limiting single adult and children’s meals to<770 mg of sodium.
The “Performance Standards for Restaurants” may be found here:http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/conf_proceedings/CF300/CF313/RAND_CF313.pdf.
Upcoming Educational Opportunities and Sodium Reduction Resources The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and CDC is offering a one hour webinar on Monday, December 16, 2013 at 1:30 pm Eastern. The webinar willprovide insight into current sodium reduction work in Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Washington, primarily related to developing and implementing food service guidelines. The webinar is part of ASTHO and CDC’s “Salt and Your State” project. More information on the “Salt and Your State” project may be found here:http://www.astho.org/Programs/Prevention/Obesity-and-Wellness/Sodium-Reduction/. To register for the webinar, visit:https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=5cdmimj8o1up.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the American Heart Association both recently released infographics with information on major sources of sodium in the American diet and myths about sodium reduction, respectively. CSPI’s “Salt by the Numbers” infographic may be found here:http://cspinet.org/salt/Salt-Infographic.pdfand AHA’s “Seven Salty Myths Busted” infographic, here:http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Sodium-Infographics_UCM_454726_Article.jsp#.