April 22, 2010

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently issued a report stating that high-salt diets are putting Americans at risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, and called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set mandatory national standards for sodium content.

In response, the FDA stated that it "is not currently working on regulations nor has it made a decision to regulate sodium content in foods at this time."  The FDA did commit to reviewing the recommendations of the IOM report and developing a plan to work with other federal agencies, public health and consumer groups, and the food industry to support the reduction of sodium levels in the food supply.

While voluntary efforts to reduce sodium have had limited success so far, some food manufacturers have been working to cut the added sodium in their products. However, changing the formula of food products could put manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage if consumers reject low-salt versions that don’t taste the same as the original. To address this concern, IOM and the White House, which sees sodium reductions as a major public health priority, are encouraging the industry to cut sodium collectively.

The National Restaurant Association, the food industry's main lobbying group, said it supports voluntary sodium reductions, but it opposes "arbitrary per item limits that do not reflect the complexity of addressing the nation's eating habits and improving overall wellness."

A high sodium intake is strongly associated with elevated blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease. The report stated that broad reductions in sodium intake could prevent more than 100,000 deaths annually.

Link to FDA Statement