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February is American Heart Month and it’s a great time to share the latest research and information about heart disease and stroke prevention. The newest edition of CDC Vital Signs focuses on excessive sodium in the American diet and the top 10 types of foods most responsible for it.
Visit: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/Sodium/
Some key points of the CDC Vital Signs report on sodium include:
- 9 in 10 Americans aged 2 years and older eat too much sodium.
- 44% of the sodium we eat comes from just 10 types of foods.
- 65% of sodium we eat comes from foods sold in grocery stores.
- 25% of sodium we eat comes from foods served in restaurants.
- Too much sodium can raise high blood pressure and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
- 800,000 people die each year from heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases.
A key point that is very important to remember: most of the sodium we eat comes from food sold in grocery stores and in restaurants, and not what is added at the table. Sodium is already part of processed foods and cannot be removed. To address this, a comprehensive approach that involves public awareness about dietary guidelines for daily sodium consumption, food manufacturers and restaurants implementing steps to lower sodium in the foods they produce and sell and consumers comparing sodium in foods to choose lower sodium items is needed.
Reducing sodium content of the 10 leading food sources by 25 percent would lower total dietary sodium by more than 10 percent.
What YOU can do:
- Choose to purchase healthy options and talk with your grocer or favorite restaurant about stocking lower sodium food choices.
- Read the Nutrition Facts label while shopping to find the lowest sodium options of your favorite foods.
- Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen fruits and vegetables without sauce.
- Limit processed foods high in sodium.
- When eating out, request lower sodium options.
- Support initiatives that reduce sodium in foods in cafeterias and vending machines.
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