Sodium content of popular commercially processed and restaurant foods in the United States

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to provide baseline estimates of sodium levels in 125 popular, sodium-contributing, commercially processed and restaurant foods in the U.S., to assess future changes as manufacturers reformulate foods.MethodsIn 2010–2013, we obtained ~ 5200 sample units from up to 12 locations and analyzed 1654 composites for sodium and related nutrients (potassium, total dietary fiber, total and saturated fat, and total sugar), as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-led sodium-monitoring program. We determined sodium content as mg/100 g, mg/serving, and mg/kcal and compared them against U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) sodium limits for “low” and “healthy” claims and to the optimal sodium level of < 1.1 mg/kcal, extrapolating from the Healthy Eating Index-2010.ResultsResults from this study represent the baseline nutrient values to use in assessing future changes as foods are reformulated for sodium reduction. Sodium levels in over half (69 of 125) of the foods, including all main dishes and most Sentinel Foods from fast-food outlets or restaurants (29 of 33 foods), exceeded the FDA sodium limit for using the claim “healthy”. Only 13 of 125 foods had sodium values below 1.1 mg/kcal. We observed a wide range of sodium content among similar food types and brands.ConclusionsCurrent sodium levels in commercially processed and restaurant foods in the U.S. are high and variable. Targeted benchmarks and increased awareness of high sodium content and variability in foods would support reduction of sodium intakes in the U.S.

Sodium Intake among US School-Aged Children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2012

“…1 The increased consumption of restaurant foods may also explain the more sodium-dense diets consumed by older children as the intake of different types of foods and the amounts of sodium in the same type of food may vary by location. 24 Because food preferences are shaped by early food experiences, sodium reduction strategies in young populations may have important implications for future sodium intake. 7 …”

The Role of Salt on Food and Human Health

“…According to the WHO (2018), NCDs are the cause of 41 million deaths of people each year, being cardiovascular diseases the first cause of death. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the USA [60].…”

“…Ready-to-eat foods to take away or served in restaurants also contribute immensely to the salt intake of the modern consumer. Ahuja and colleagues [60] reviewed the subject and emphasised the importance of public health efforts together with food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the sodium levels in prepared meals.…”

“…In 2013, the salt reduction initiatives in the WHO European Region have been mapped and described by country [114]; however, the progression has been slow, and salt intake in most WHO European Region countries is far above the suggested amount [18]. Some countries adopted initiatives to reduce the total amount of salt consumed (maximum daily intake), others the amount of sodium, but only a few legislated the amount of salt added to food products and mainly to bread [60,[114][115][116][117].…”

“…In a study conducted in the USA with processed and restaurant foods, more than half of the analysed foods exceeded the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) sodium limit for using the claim "healthy" [60]. This "healthy" claim reports to the Healthy Eating Index-2010 [119] and to an optimal sodium level below 1.1 mg/kcal.…”