《减盐新闻》2016年10月22日

Salt in the News captures news articles (or headlines) related to sodium and sodium reduction that have been published since the last edition, about every 2 weeks. Content includes Industry News, Government News, State/Local News, International News, New Studies and Research, and more. The purpose is to provide a snapshot of sodium-related topics in the media.

October 22-November 4, 2016

Michigan’s Henry Ford Health System Supports FDA’s Voluntary Proposal for Lower Sodium

Michigan’s Henry Ford Health System has announced its leaders are supporting the voluntary sodium reduction proposal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as intake creeps higher across the country. Leaders at the health system pointed to restaurant meals as regular culprits, noting the food can contain “more than a day’s worth” of sodium. They also noted the link between high sodium intake and increased risk for heart attack and other medical conditions. A video from Henry Ford Health System explains where sodium may be hiding in people’s daily meals. – ABC 7 WXYZ Detroit

Trudeau Government Moves to Rein in Pushers of Salt, Sugar, and Fat

In late September, Nancy Greene Raine, Conservative Senator for British Columbia, proposed a measure that would ban advertising of snacks and soft drinks that target children. In late October, the Canadian federal government picked up Greene’s idea as part of a broader healthy foods initiative that includes revising the Canada Food Guide to conform to the latest science. The government will also move to require that the food industry provide simple and clear front-of-package nutrition labeling to equip consumers with “access to simplified, nutrition information to help them make healthier food choices when they are limited by time, motivation or relatively low health literacy.” The labeling would include whether the amounts of ingredients such as salt and sugar in labeled products are high or low. – Rabble.ca

Intake of Salt in India More than Double WHO Recommendation

Indians are consuming more than double the recommended amount of salt, putting themselves at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and early death, according to a new study from the George Institute for Global Health that reviewed data from 227,000 people. The average daily salt intake for Indian adults was 10.98 grams per day, more than double the recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO) of five grams per day. The George Institute is currently working with India’s Centre for Chronic Disease Control to develop the evidence for a national salt reduction program and is calling for the implementation of a national salt reduction strategy to tackle this growing crisis. – Indian Express

Hong Kong Food Products with Healthy Sugar or Salt Levels to Be Labeled for Easier Consumer Choice

In Hong Kong, about 100 types of pre-packaged food, such as yogurt and biscuits, are likely to fall under a labeling scheme that identifies products with lower salt and sugar content. The plan is meant to give consumers a clearer and easier way to identify healthy food, with the long-term goal of reformulating sauces and condiments, said Bernard Chan, chairman of the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food. Overseas experts from the committee’s international advisory panel are expected to meet with local condiment manufacturers to discuss how to reduce sodium in their products. – South China Morning Post

Irish Men Consuming Double Recommended Salt Allowance

A new research study from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) shows that Irish men consume more than twice as much salt as they should, and Irish women consume 70% above recommended intake levels, despite lower salt content in many processed foods. FSAI cites significant salt reductions across all food groups, including processed meats, bread, breakfast cereals, and spreadable fats during its monitoring period from September 2003 through November 2016. However, FSAI said salt intake is still high because an average decrease in salt content of a food or food category does not equate to a similar drop in individual or population intake. One possible explanation is that consumers are eating greater amounts of specific foods, such as prepared meals, that tend to be higher in salt.  The full report can be accessed here. – Irish Times

New Study on Salt May Cause Parents to Shake up Kids’ Diets

Nearly all U.S. children eat far too much salt, according to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Institute of Medicine’s Tolerable Upper Intake Level for sodium ranges from 1,900 milligrams a day for younger children to 2,300 milligrams a day for older kids. The new study found that adolescents consumed 55% more sodium than recommended and that younger kids also exceeded the limit. More than half of children’s sodium intake came from store-bought foods, with pizza and Mexican food leading the top 10 sources of sodium in children’s diets. Salt was added during processing for nine of the top 10 sources. (The remaining source, milk, contains naturally occurring sodium.) CDC recommends limiting the salt in children’s diets because eating habits learned early tend to persist as people get older. – CBS News

Dairy Cheese May Protect from Cardiovascular Diseases like High Blood Pressure

Consuming sodium from dairy cheese resulted in better blood vessel function than consuming an equal amount of sodium from non-dairy sources, according to a new study funded by Dairy Management Inc. and published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The researchers used laser-Doppler flowmetry to examine the effect of short-term dairy cheese consumption versus that of pretzels or soy cheese. The research team theorized that the potential protection from cardiovascular disease is a side effect of the antioxidant properties of cheese’s dairy proteins. Over the long term, however, studies have found that diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which are found in cheese, can harm the cardiovascular system. The American Heart Association advises moderation, particularly for harder cheeses such as cheddar. – Medical Daily