The AHA has expressed support for a new sodium decrease study. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
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Amanda Rupp | Aug 28, 2016

AHA supports new sodium decrease study

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a statement about a new study from the National Salt Reduction Initiative to decrease the levels of sodium in the U.S. food supply.

The study will last for the next five years. The goal is to encourage more food companies to voluntarily decrease the levels of sodium that they add to food.

“While we applaud all progress made thus far to decrease salt in our daily diets, this study demonstrates that we still have work to do,” Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA, said. “The study found that sodium levels decreased in a sample of top-selling packaged foods by about 7 percent from 2009 to the beginning of 2015. This is a noteworthy reduction, but it is not enough to eliminate the threats posed by sodium.”

Many health experts believe that too much sodium can be harmful for health.

“Robust, clear science shows that excessive amounts of sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke,” Brown said. “It’s critical to give consumers more control over how much sodium they eat -- and, fortunately, there is a plan in place to make this possible. The FDA’s voluntary sodium targets give the food industry a goal to work toward, and we encourage the FDA to continue dialogue with industry and finalize goals promptly to support the health of all Americans. We urge all food manufacturers and restaurants to take notice and join the companies who have already committed to reduce sodium in their products.”

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