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Excess sodium intake prevalent in US adults
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Nearly all US adults consume excess dietary sodium, according to new CDC statistics in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
To describe the most recent estimates and trends in excess sodium intake, CDC researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010 (n=34,916).
From 2007 to 2010, the prevalence of excess sodium intake ranged from 79.1% for children aged 1 to 3 years to 95.4% for adults aged 19 to 50 years. From 2003-2006 to 2007-2010, researchers noted a significant decline of 2.7 to 4.9 percentage points in excess sodium intake among children aged 1 to 13 years; however, the same trend was not observed among adolescents or adults. Significant declines in excess sodium intake were observed among children aged 4 to 8 years, regardless of sex or race/ethnicity, according to the report.
In other results, mean usual sodium intake in all participants aged at least 1 year decreased from 3,518 mg in 2003-2004 to 3,424 mg in 2009-2010 (P=.037). On average, the US population consumed approximately 1,700 mg of sodium per 1,000 kcal during 2009-2010. Mean usual sodium density increased slightly among adolescents aged 14 to 18 years during the study period, but no changes were observed in other age groups.
“Despite slight declines in sodium intake among some population groups, most US residents aged ≥1 year consume excess sodium,” researchers wrote in MMWR. “Given that average energy and sodium intakes have changed little over time, coupling efforts to reduce obesity with efforts to reduce the sodium content per calorie in foods might accelerate progress. … Other ongoing public health efforts include working with industry to gradually reduce sodium in commercially processed packaged and restaurant foods. Even a 400-mg reduction in mean US sodium intake might save billions of health care dollars.”
Data on sodium intake were based on two 24-hour dietary recall surveys. Sodium intake was estimated according to nutrient values indicated by the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary studies. Excess sodium was defined as the Institute of Medicine’s tolerable upper intake level of 1,500 mg/day for participants aged 1 to 3 years; 1,900 mg for 4 to 8 years; 2,200 mg for 9 to 13 years; and 2,300 mg at 14 years or older.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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CDC. MMWR. 2013;62:1021-1025.
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