Print | Need Larger Text? | Share

Questionnaire for the Public Consultation on Dietary Sodium Reduction

This content was archived on June 24, 2013.

Help on accessing alternative formats, such as Portable Document Format (PDF), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint (PPT) files, can be obtained in the alternate format help section.

(Portable Document Format Version - 52 K)

(WordPerfect Version - 65 K)

(Microsoft Word Version - 56 K)

This is for display purposes only. To submit questionnaire via e-mail choose one of the above Word or WordPerfect documents. If you prefer to submit via mail or fax, see Sodium Consultation for details.

Health Canada is chairing a Multi-stakeholder Working Group on Dietary Sodium Reduction (Sodium Working Group). To assist the Sodium Working Group (SWG) with the creation of a sodium reduction strategy, Health Canada is engaging in a consultation through this on-line questionnaire. The feedback received will help the SWG in developing a strategy for the successful reduction of the sodium content of the diets of Canadians. Refer to the Sodium Consultation for more information on other elements of this public consultation.

General instructions

The following suggestions are provided to help you prepare your response and will assist in our analysis:

1. Please explain your responses as clearly and concisely as possible using facts, data or specific examples. If your comments exceed 10 pages, please provide a summary (one to two pages).
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Please provide copies of any technical information, references and/or data you used in your comments, if possible.
4. Health Canada will accept comments until January 26, 2009. Please ensure to submit your comments in Word or WordPerfect form by this time.

Please note that in keeping with our commitment to an open and transparent process, comments made to Health Canada in response to this consultation will not be considered confidential. However, the names of individuals sending comments who are not representatives of groups/organizations will be protected pursuant to the  Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Any information collected during this consultation will be used only for the purpose of input to this consultation. The information collected will be used in conjunction with input obtained from the February 19 consultation meeting to guide decisions of the SWG on the development of a strategy for the successful reduction of the sodium content of the diets of Canadians. Information protected pursuant to the  Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act collected during this consultation will be stored in a secure location and will not be shared with a third party.

In order to better enhance the transparency of Health Canada consultations, you may submit a Voluntary Statement of Information Form to further inform us of your interest in Health Canada's work. If you complete the form, please include it with your questionnaire or your request to attend the February 19 meeting.

Questionnaire on Dietary Sodium Reduction

Respondent Name:
Organization (where applicable):
Address:
Affiliation:

_ Academia
_ Health Professional
_ Health-focused Non-governmental Organization
_ Consumers
_ Food Manufacturing Industry
_ Food-service Industry
_ Government
_ Other (please specify)

Indicate if your comments represent those of an individual or an association/group. If the comments represent those of an association/group, please describe the process used within your organization to develop your response.

A. Consumer Behaviour and Awareness

A.1. What are the biggest challenges in getting Canadians to reduce their sodium intake?

A.2. What are the best mechanisms to build awareness and motivate Canadians to reduce their dietary sodium intake successfully?

A.3. Are you aware of any programs that have been successful in getting people to lower their sodium intake? If so, please elaborate.

A.4. What are the methods that can be used to survey current public knowledge, attitudes, barriers and behaviours relating to dietary sodium? Can the knowledge periodically be monitored to determine impact of interventions?

A.5. Have you or your organization conducted research on consumer awareness of the health risks associated with high sodium intake? If so, please provide details.

A.6. Have you or your organization conducted research on any of the following and are willing to provide data or details to Health Canada:

• Perception of saltiness by consumers;
• Consumer acceptability and purchase of food products with low or reduced sodium levels;
• Specific factors influencing acceptability;
• Consumer ability to perceive a (gradual) transition to reduced sodium in different foods;
• Concrete examples of the rate of success (or lack of success) of gradual reductions in sodium;
• Use of salt substitutes, other flavours, changes in texture or other organoleptic properties;
• New products or changes to familiar products; or
• Health status of consumers

B. Education Programs Associated with Sodium Reduction

B.1. What approaches or current pilot projects have been used to assist consumers in making healthy choices at the point of food purchase whether at retail or in food service establishments? Are you aware of the effectiveness or impact of these initiatives?

B.2. Do you or your organization have data or views on how nutrition labelling (e.g. % daily value) or nutrient content claim criteria might help or hinder consumers in reducing their sodium intake? If so, please provide details.

C. Technical Questions Concerning Reduction of Sodium

C.1. What are your organization's current efforts or future plans to reduce the sodium content of specific applications or products?

C.2. What are the technical challenges presented by sodium (salt) reduction in specific applications or products? Please provide details on technical functions such as:

• Antimicrobial or preservative
• Texture
• Protein solubility
• Water loss
• Fermentation process
• Leavening
• Taste or flavour.

C.3. Can you identify the factors that can facilitate the transition to products with lower sodium content in your specific industry sector (technological or otherwise)? Do you have data to share? If so, please provide details.

D. Transitions to healthier alternatives

D.1. What alternatives to sodium are currently available? Can these alternatives be used in a variety of products?

D.2. How does the function of these alternatives compare with salt in regards to technical functions such as:

• Antimicrobial or preservative
• Texture
• Protein solubility
• Water loss
• Fermentation process
• Leavening
• Taste or flavour.

D.3. Do you or your organization have any information about other challenges associated with the reduction of sodium in processed foods such as cost, time or other resources? If so, please elaborate.

D.4. Can you identify factors that can ease the transition to healthier alternatives in your specific industry sector (technological or otherwise; please identify your sector/products)?

E. Health Impact of Salt/Sodium Alternatives

E.1. As efforts are made to reduce sodium in processed food products and foodservice foods, we may turn towards sodium alternatives with less well-known effects on the health of consumers. What are the health and nutritional concerns related to the use of alternatives to salt or sodium? If you have data, please elaborate.

E.2. What would be the ideal nutritional and health characteristics of alternatives to salt and sodium food additives?

E.3. Is there an impact to focussing on reduction of sodium as opposed to sodium chloride in regards to:

• The ability to formulate foods
• The association and risk of elevated blood pressure.

F. Establishing Targets for Sodium Consumption by Canadians

F.1. There are many different approaches that can be taken to move towards reduced levels of sodium in foods. From amongst the options listed below, please identify what is the best choice in your opinion and why:

• Establishing targets in Canada for the sodium content of processed foods and foods sold in food service establishments.
  
  
  • Establishing a general overall target for all foods (e.g a specific percentage reduction per year, applicable to all foods).
  • Establishing a general overall target applicable to identified key food groups or categories of foods.
  • Establishing different targets for different food groups.
  • Establishing targets by "best case" in each food category (e.g. based on brands with the lowest sodium levels).
    
    
• Imposing regulatory limits in Canada on the sodium content of processed foods and foods sold in food service establishments (as opposed to voluntary targets).

F.2. Are there specific instances where regulatory limits would be helpful for the food industry?

G. Policy and Regulatory Options Regarding the Sodium Reduction

G.1. Are there regulatory or other barriers to consider when trying to reduce the sodium content of foods? (e.g. regulatory standards for foods, food additives). If so, please explain.

G.2. Are there policy and/or regulatory initiatives you would like to suggest for consideration by the Sodium Working Group? If so, please elaborate.

G.3. What are the methods to monitor and assess the success of a sodium reduction strategy? Which have been shown to be effective?

G.4. Are there any other issues or perspectives regarding sodium reduction that you would like to share with the Working Group? If so, please elaborate.