Cut sodium in foods in half by 2034 and save lives
safefoodmitra.com · 2025-01-11 09:36:25
Reduce dietary sodium
One of several important strategies to reduce hypertension and improve public health is to address dietary sodium. This can be accomplished by voluntary targets to reduce sodium in processed foods and other food prepared outside of the home, which has been successful both nationally and globally. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized initial voluntary sodium reduction in 2021 and based on initial data of its success, has proposed updating their guidance to further reduce their targets.
To that end, the AMA House of Delegates modified existing policy to:
Call for a stepwise, minimum 50% reduction in sodium in processed foods, fast-food products and restaurant meals to be achieved over the next decade.
Urge the FDA to publish future editions of their voluntary targets expeditiously to make further progress on sodium reduction.
Assist in achieving the Healthy People 2030 goal for sodium consumption by working with the FDA, the National Heart Lung Blood Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and other interested partners to educate consumers about the benefits of reductions in sodium intake and other dietary approaches to reduce hypertension.
Support the continuing education of physicians and other members of the health care team on counseling patients on lifestyle modification strategies to manage blood pressure, advocating for culturally relevant dietary models that reduce sodium intake.
Recommend that the FDA consider all options to promote reductions in the sodium content of processed foods.
Support further study and evaluation of national salt-reduction programs to determine the viability, industry engagement and health and economic benefits of such programs.
With the newly adopted policy, the AMA also will back federal, state and local efforts to:
Set robust targets for reducing sodium levels in school meals, meals in health care facilities and other meals provided by daily meal providers.
Reduce sodium levels in products from food manufacturers and restaurants to the greatest extent possible without increasing levels of other unhealthy ingredients, such as added sugars or artificial ingredients.
Require front-of-package warning labels for foods that are high in sodium based on the established recommended daily value.
Regulate advertising of foods and products high in sodium, especially advertising targeted to children.
The House of Delegates’ actions build on the AMA’s long-standing policy on sodium reduction and aligns with the AMA’s strategic work to significantly reduce the number of American adults living with uncontrolled high blood pressure—which without intervention can lead to heart attack, stroke, disability and death