Still Too Salty
It has been 44 years since the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health issued recommendations that highlighted the role of sodium in the development of hypertension, and 4 years since the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report on “Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States.” Estimates of the direct and indirect costs of hypertension alone have been calculated in excess of $73 billion annually. Despite these findings, no concerted action has been taken—by either the government or the food industry—to reduce sodium content in food, according to Jane E. Henney, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and chair of the IOM’s committee on sodium reduction. Although it is clear that it will take resolve and action by those in authority at the federal level to put choice back in the hands of individuals who select and consume food instead of in the hands of the food industry, Dr. Henney noted the United States still seems to be satisfied with modest voluntary reductions and future commitments by individual companies—which are to be commended, but suffer often from a lack of sustainability. Dr. Henney called for newly introduced Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell to move forward on this critical public health goal. – The Hill
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What Role Can Businesses Play in Cutting Back on Salt in the American Diet?
As the owner of a Washington, D.C., meal delivery service that makes health its main selling point, Bonnie Coberly maintains an ongoing conversation with consumers about a renewed push to cut back on sodium. “Being part of the food industry, I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility to provide foods that are healthier for people,” Coberly said. Lawrence Williams, founder of the D.C.-based U.S. Healthful Food Council, noted that “people are starting to understand the importance of ‘food away from home’ and how big an impact it makes. Our mission is, how do we make healthy food more profitable?” Although it is not easy for businesses to start cutting sodium from their recipes, Coberly said the “whole mission” of her company is to “provide a healthy alternative that’s convenient, without all the fat, without all the sugar—and without all the salt.” – Washington Business Journal
Poll: Should the Government Regulate Salt Consumption?
A recent report showed that sodium regulation in Britain has saved lives and reduced health care costs. The poll asked readers how they would feel if the U.S. federal government followed Britain’s lead. At the time of writing, 78% of about 2,700 respondents chose “No: Consumers should take responsibility for salt intake themselves,” while 22% chose “Yes: Salt is a silent killer adding billions to U.S. health costs.” – Summerville Patch