An Overview from Healthcare Professionals, Government, Media and the Foodservice Industry.

Sodium is essential—not only for human health but also for the health of the food industry. Unfortunately, Americans consume too much of it. This overconsumption has consequences, including premature deaths and high healthcare costs amounting to over 75 million dollars a year. Numerous human clinical trials now provide significant scientific evidence that most Americans can improve their health by reducing their sodium intake, and that consumers need support from the food industry in order to achieve these reductions.

Chef and Restaurant Industry Perspectives – The U.S. food service industry is struggling to respond to increasing public health and regulatory pressure to reduce sodium in menu items. The vast majority of sodium (77 percent) in the U.S. diet comes from processed and restaurant foods. The average daily sodium intake in the U.S. exceeds 3,400 milligrams, surpassing the upper limit of 2,300 milligrams set by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report for Americans. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report recommends reducing the upper limit from 2,300 milligrams to 1,500 milligrams. Nutrition information from chain restaurants across the country shows that many menu items exceed this maximum in a single serving.

Media Coverage of Salt – Perhaps more than for any nutritional issue in recent years, national media have “shaken” up the food industry with hard-hitting coverage of the health risks of excess dietary salt, and thrown down the gauntlet to companies and brands in a challenge to develop lower-salt options quickly, regardless of consumer taste preferences and habits. Perhaps more than for any nutritional issue in recent years, national media have “shaken” up the food industry with hard-hitting coverage of the health risks of excess dietary salt, and thrown down the gauntletto companies and brands in a challenge to develop lower-salt options quickly, regardless of consumer taste preferences and habits.

A leader in food, nutrition and healthcare public relations, Pollock Communications conducted an online survey of more than 100 registered dietitians (RDs) to gain their point of view on sodium in the diet, public policy and the food industry. The questions addressed their perspective on sodium as a health concern, the adequacy of the current recommendations, the role of the food industry and the potential for public policy to help reduce sodium in the diet of Americans. A leader in food, nutrition and healthcare public relations, Pollock Communications conducted an onlinesurvey of more than 100 registered dietitians (RDs) to gain their point of view on sodium in the diet, publicpolicy and the food industry. The questions addressed their perspective on sodium as a health concern, theadequacy of the current recommendations, the role of the food industry and the potential for public policy tohelp reduce sodium in the diet of Americans.