There is a national movement that is aimed at reducing heart attacks and strokes via the reduction of salt and sodium in many of our everyday foods. Sodium and salt are contributors to heart disease, stroke and other circulatory diseases. This movement is an effort to reduce salt in packaged and restaurant foods. Currently, studies have concluded that we are consuming twice the recommended amount of salt per day. This high level of salt consumption increases the risk of high blood pressure as well as the increased risks of stroke and heart attack.

Interestingly, only about 11% of our daily intake comes from our household salt use. The remaining 80% or so comes from foods that we purchase. A national coalition—The National Salt Reduction Initiative—comprises health organizations, cities and states that are working to get restaurants and food manufacturers to reduce the salt content. This coalition wants to reduce the population’s salt intake—the goal is 20% over five years. According to proponents of this program this simple reduction in salt will save lives and save health care dollars.

Why Reducing Salt Intake is Important
-Lowering salt intake will reduce blood pressure, even in people with a normal blood pressure level
-High salt diets contribute to stroke and heart disease
-Most Americans consume nearly twice the recommended about of salt daily
-More than 800,000 are affected by high blood pressure and other heart disease risks

The initiative is a partnership between both private and public entities and was designed to help companies producing packaged food as well as restaurants reduce salt in their foods. The initiative provides guidelines to help companies reduce sodium content—for instance the initiative can help companies reduce salt in their canned soups and other such products. Restaurants use these guidelines to help reduce salt in their menu items. There are many online resources that can help consumers find those companies and eating establishments that are following the initiative.