Americans consume more sodium than the recommended amount which does not include table salt. Americans, two years and older, consume 3,500 mg of sodium per day compared to the recommended 2,300 mg.
Too much sodium may cause high blood pressure. One in three U.S. adults, about 70 million people, have high blood pressure, and only half have it under control. Too much sodium may also cause hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
“The science is clear – reducing salt lowers blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” says Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “As a nation, we can do much more to protect the heart health of Americans. Even small decreases in sodium intake could save tens of thousands of lives each year.”
The problem is not in an average diet. More than three quarters of sodium in an American diet is found in processed and restaurant food.
For more tips on reducing salt intake, visit the American Heart Association.
