But what strikes me is why the press and public health officials are obsessed with sodium, when it isn’t the “big issue.” The “big issue” by far is weight.  Many people are overweight or obese.  Kids carrying too much weight for their ages; adults carrying too much weight for good health. 

I wonder if the reason there is so much focus on sodium and not all that much focus on weight is picking on sodium is easier.  A finger can be pointed at food manufacturers and restaurants – it’s their fault that we eat too much salt.

But weight is personal.  It can lead to uncomfortable discussions.  It can make people feel guilty.  Talking about overweight kids is even more touchy, as it suggests parents aren’t doing their jobs.  We are overfeeding and under-exercising our kids.  Every parent wants the best for their kids, and suggesting that we’re doing a poor job of raising them is tricky territory to venture into. 

But weight is the “big issue” in our country today.  We need to have the discussion.  And we need to have it again and again and again.  Even if it’s uncomfortable, we have to step up to the plate and talk about it. 

Visit www.nuval.com to see a system where the calories per gram of food impacts the food’s score.

Yet the health effects of salt have been shaking up controversy since the beginning of the 20^th century.  Before the 1940s, doctors began using salt restriction to treat patients with hypertension – even though benefits of reducing salt were not entirely accepted.  In 1979, Jean Mayer, then the president of Tufts University, called salt “the most dangerous additive of all.” And now, high sodium intake has been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is currently one of the leading causes of death in the United States.

In light of the strong-hold sodium has on health, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently recommended reducing sodium intake gradually down from the current 2,300mg recommendation to 1,500mg.  Quite a drop.

Is it time to wean the United States off the salt lick?  Recommendations to accomplish this include a population-based approach, requiring the food industry to decrease sodium in their products across the board. 

Amazingly, a population-based change has already happened in Great Britain. Their Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) shook up society with its sodium recommendation in 2002, which required the cooperation of food manufacturers to reduce sodium on a national-level.  Of course, the industry wasn’t too pleased about this – but because the British population was vocal for change, the food industry conceded.

And guess what – the high sodium foods you eat here in the U.S.?  Well the same manufacturer makes the same product but many times with less sodium for the British population.  Interesting.  Could this ever happen in the United States?

Manufacturers are now beginning to reduce sodium in the American food supply – but resistance is high and change is slow.  Will our community demand change?

Do you worry about salt intake?  What are some of the things you do for your family to help reduce sodium in the diet? 

Visit www.nuval.com  to see a system that takes sodium into account.

But. . . .

There was some interesting information presented on the webinar that I do think will be helpful to you.  First off, we hear generalizations about how much sodium consumers are getting today.  The number most often mentioned is 3,400 mg of sodium in comparison to the 2,400 mg which is recommended by FDA on the Nutrition Facts panel of food labels.  The average consumer gets 42% more sodium than he/she should.  But we live in a world today that centers around personalized service and individualization.  That said, if you split the data, it shows that the average woman gets 2,880 mg of sodium a day and the average man 3,962 mg.  Why the difference?  On average, men eat more calories eat day.

The other interesting information shared is where we’re getting our sodium.  While sodium is found throughout our food supply, based on the level of sodium or the frequency with which they’re eaten, about 50% of sodium intake is coming from these foods (as presented by Victor Fulgoni, III, PhD, Nutrition Impact LLC):

Breads and rolls, Cheese, frankfurters, sausage, lunch meat, condiments and sauces, crackers, popcorn, pretzels and chip, pork, ham, bacon, biscuits, corn bread, pancakes, tortillas, cakes, cookies, quick bread, pastry, pie, soup, broth, bouillon, tomatoes, tomato/vegetable juice.

In this data presented on the webinar, there’s some good news as well as practical tips.  First, the good news – woman are not far off where they should be in sodium intake.  Some minor tweaks in our eating habits can get us to the recommended level.  As to the practical tips, it’s clear that cutting calories is not only an effective way to manage your weight, but also a way to reduce sodium.  Are there simple ways you can cut 100 calories out of your eating habits each day?  Focusing on these top sources of sodium – examining bread labels more closely for sodium content, for example, or choosing the foods listed less frequently (cook chicken breasts on the weekends and use them for sandwiches during the week), can get us closer to the recommended intakes.

Visit NuVal.com to see how high sodium levels can lower scores and low sodium levels can help raise scores.