Sodium: Questions and Answers

1. What is sodium?
2. Do we need sodium in our diet?
3. Are Canadians consuming too much sodium?
4. What is the recommended intake?
5. What are the health benefits of reducing sodium intake?
6. What has the Government of Canada done to reduce sodium consumption?
7. What is the Government of Canada doing to reduce sodium in the Canadian diet?
8. Why will it take so long to reduce sodium in Canadians' diets?
9. What can you do to reduce your sodium intake?

1. What is sodium?

Sodium is an element found in table salt and in many foods in our diet. Some sodium is naturally occurring, but most of it is added to food mainly in the form of salt for a variety of reasons, e.g. to add flavour, ensure food safety and perform many functions related to the texture and structure of foods.

2. Do we need sodium in our diet?

Sodium is an essential nutrient but, while the body needs some sodium to function, too much may lead to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death and disability in Canada.

3. Are Canadians consuming too much sodium?

Yes, almost all of us are consuming too much and more than half of us are consuming more than double the recommended amount. Research indicates that Canadians aged one or older consume an estimated average of 3,400 mg of sodium daily.

4. What is the recommended intake?

The recommended intake for people aged 1 year and over, ranges from 1000 mg per day to 1500 mg per day.

5. What are the health benefits of reducing sodium intake?

Reducing the amount of sodium in the diet will improve the health of Canadians by reducing the number of sodium-related illnesses such as high blood pressure.

6. What has the Government of Canada done to reduce sodium consumption?

The Government of Canada has already developed a number of tools to help consumers make better food choices, including:

• Mandatory nutrition labelling for pre-packaged foods, which came fully into effect in 2007. This requires almost all pre-packaged foods to include a Nutrition Facts table that lists "sodium" as one of 13 nutrients that must appear on the labels.
• Rules for "low in sodium", "salt-free" and "reduced in sodium" claims, as well as establishing a health claim linking a diet low in sodium and high in potassium with a reduced risk of high blood pressure. These can be used on food labels to help consumers choose foods that are lower in sodium.
• "Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide" (2007), provides specific advice on choosing foods that are lower in sodium and prepared with little or no added salt.
• Advice to consumers in It's Your Health - Sodium.

7. What is the Government of Canada doing to reduce sodium in the Canadian diet?

Between October 2007 and July 2010, Health Canada convened a Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on Dietary Sodium Reduction (the Sodium Working Group or SWG). The SWG was tasked with developing a population health strategy for the reduction of the sodium content in the diets of Canadians to be in line with the recommendations of the DRI report of the  Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academies (IOM).

The SWG's work culminated with its Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada (July 29, 2010), a multi-staged strategy based on a three-pronged approach including: voluntary reduction of sodium levels in prepackaged processed food products and foods sold in foodservices establishments, education, and research. These elements would be complemented by ongoing monitoring and evaluation, and adjustment of the approach as required.

It is currently estimated that the average Canadian's sodium intake is 3,400 mg per day. The Strategy has an interim sodium intake goal of a population average of 2,300 mg of sodium per day to be achieved by 2016. The ultimate goal recommended by the SWG is to lower sodium intakes to a population mean whereby as many individuals as possible (greater than 95% of the population) have a daily intake of sodium below 2,300 mg, which is the Tolerable Upper Intake Level.

At the September 2010 Federal, Provincial and Territorial Health Ministers' Meeting, the Health Ministers adopted the interim goal set out by the SWG of reducing the sodium intake of Canadians to a population average of 2,300 mg per day by 2016. In support of this effort, the Health Ministers called on the food industry leaders to fast-track voluntary sodium reduction in food products, and to work with governments to increase education and awareness of consumers, industry, health professionals and other key stakeholders. The Ministers are encouraging Canadians to reduce their consumption to close to 1500 mg per day, the recommended daily intake for Canadians aged 9 to 50 years of age, and less for those younger and older.

8. Why will it take so long to reduce sodium in Canadians' diets?

A gradual reduction of sodium in the diet is needed because:

• People need time to adapt to taste changes and to change their behaviours, e.g. choosing food lower in salt, not adding salt at the table;
• The food industry needs time to find other means or processes that will fulfill the multiple functions of salt.

9. What can you do to reduce your sodium intake?

• Use "Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide" to choose foods that are lower in sodium.
• Eat more fresh, unprocessed foods instead of pre-packaged, convenience foods.
• Choose more fruits and vegetables (which are low in sodium and also higher in potassium, a factor in reducing the risk of high blood pressure).
• Read nutrition labels to make informed food choices.
• Look for foods with claims such as "salt-free" (less than 5 mg of sodium per serving), "low in sodium" (140 mg of sodium or less per serving), or "reduced in sodium" (at least 25 percent less than the regular product) or carrying a health claim linking foods low in sodium and high in potassium to reduced risk of high blood pressure.
• Resist adding salt to your food. Try other flavouring options such as pepper, vinegar, lemon, hot pepper sauce, various herbs or spices.
• Prepare foods with little or no added salt.
• Ask for nutrition information at restaurants to see how much sodium is in the food on their menu. Many chains now make nutrition information available online or in the restaurant.