Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on Dietary Sodium Reduction (Sodium Working Group, SWG)

September 28-29, 2009, Ottawa, ON

Summary Report of the Meeting

Sodium Working Group (SWG) members met on September 28^th and 29^th, 2009 in Ottawa, ON.

The main meeting objectives were to:

• Receive updates on work underway, including educational resources, a net-meeting with food industry stakeholders and a summary of learnings from industry information sessions.
• Receive reports from the three sub-committees (established in the spring to advance work on the three prongs of the strategy) on their findings and recommendations, to provide feedback and agree upon next steps.
• To agree upon the timelines and goals for sodium reduction.

Key Outcomes

Updates on Work Underway

A number of presentations were given, which set the foundation for discussions of potential strategy elements. Of particular note:

• A summary of the key messages gleaned from four information sessions with industry (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and a net meeting held on the Sept 28^th afternoon). Health Canada will hold meetings with industry this fall/winter on draft sodium reduction targets for processed foods and foods sold in restaurants and other food services.
• A presentation on the Champlain Health Region Sodium Reduction Campaign - Give Your Head a Shake - which provides a series of tips to residents of the Champlain Region on how to reduce sodium in their diets. The WG will continue to communicate with the Champlain Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Network to gain further insights into their approach and best practices to inform the SWG's work.

Sub-Committee Reports

The Research Sub-Committee, Food Supply Sub-Committee and the Education Awareness Sub-Committee each presented their progress and recommendations for action.

• The Research Sub-Committee will reconvene to further develop its approach. In addition, members agreed to develop a SWG research agenda as a framework for developing a longer-term research plan on the issue of dietary sodium.
• The SWG confirmed a Canadian approach to setting sodium reduction targets for the Canadian food supply, using "best practices" from other countries, such as the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency. These sodium targets are currently being developed. Health Canada staff will hold meetings with the food industry in November and December 2009 to seek their input on the draft Canadian targets for several food categories contributing to elevated sodium intakes by Canadians.
• Awareness and education messages will continue to be refined as the social marketing strategy is developed. SWG members reiterated the important role of consumer education and awareness in supporting consumer demand for lower sodium levels in foods.
• Members reiterated the need that the overall strategic plan, or framework, that would outline the overall proposed approach to reduce sodium would include all these elements.

Summary Messages From the SWG Meeting

Members agreed to the following key messages summarizing their two-day meeting:

The SWG agreed on an interim sodium intake goal of 2300 mg per day, by 2016, to substantially reduce sodium intake, moving towards 1500 mg in the long-term.

• This goal is feasible and achievable yet still challenging. Such a reduction would achieve significant public health benefits for the Canadian population.

• International best practices will be considered while the Canadian approach is being developed.

• Substantive progress has been made on the topics of education and consumer awareness, voluntary reduction of sodium levels in processed food products and foods sold in food service establishments, and research, including:

  • Initiation of discussions with industry to convey information collected on sodium in Canadian foods, the need for sodium reduction, and approaches to developing sodium targets.

  • Elaboration of a first draft education and awareness proposal; and

  • Engaging the research community.

• Confirmation of a Canadian approach to setting sodium reduction targets for the Canadian food supply.

• The timeline for the development of sodium reduction targets for foods by category has been agreed upon and targets will be finalized in 2010.

• Regulatory barriers to sodium reduction in the food supply have been identified for further discussion by the Working Group.

• The importance of ongoing monitoring in the implementation phase has been recognized by the SWG.

• The next SWG meeting will take place in December.