Americans Consume Too Much Salt and Senior Citizens
May Not Know Their Suggested Limit
Lower sodium recommendation applies to all seniors
and almost 70 percent of American adults
Graphic from excellent Mayo Clinic
report, "Sodium: Are you getting too much?" Click to read
it.
March 30, 2009 Although many senior citizens may
not know it, they belong to one of the special groups that should not
consume more than 1,500 milligrams per day of sodium. A new study by the
Centers for Disease Control and Preventions shows that most are
consuming more than double the recommended level of salt.
The CDC study shows that more than 2 out of 3
adults are in population groups that should consume this limited amount
of sodium.
This study is the first to use national data to
show that 69.2 percent of the adult population belongs to a specific
group that should aim to consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per
day.
This group includes persons with high blood
pressure, blacks, or middle-aged and older adults (more than 40 years
old).
The
2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults in
general should consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately one teaspoon of
salt) of sodium per day.
During 2005-2006 the estimated average intake of
sodium for persons in the United States age 2 years and older was 3,436
mg per day.
A diet high in sodium increases the risk of having
higher blood pressure, a major cause for heart disease and stroke. These
diseases are the first and third leading causes of death in the United
States.
Its important for people to eat less salt.
People who adopt a heart healthy eating pattern that includes a diet low
in sodium and rich in potassium and calcium can improve their blood
pressure, said Darwin R. Labarthe, M.D., Ph.D., director of the CDCs
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.
Reducing sodium intake can prevent or delay
increases in blood pressure for everyone.
People need to know their recommended daily sodium
limit and take action to reduce sodium intake, Labarthe said.
Most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged,
processed and restaurant foods. CDC along with other HHS agencies,
including the Food and Drug Administration, will be working with major
food manufacturers and chain restaurants to reduce sodium levels in the
food supply.
The study in CDCs Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report used data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, a survey designed to assess the health and
nutritional status of adults and children in the United States.
CDC has commissioned an
Institute of Medicine study that will outline strategies to reduce
sodium consumption to levels recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. To learn more about the report, visit
http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/59128.aspx
For more information about heart disease and
stroke, visit CDCs Web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp.
