Blood Pressure Canada News

First Steps Taken Towards a National Sodium Reduction Strategy

Blood Pressure Canada welcomed an announcement today by federal Minister of Health Tony Clement to establish an expert Sodium Working Group as a first step towards the development of a long-term national strategy to reduce dietary sodium levels.

The average Canadian consumes more than 3,100 mg of sodium a day, but an adequate daily intake for a healthy adult is 1,200 mg to 1,500 mg. It is estimated that lowering sodium consumption to optimal levels could reduce the incidence of stroke and heart disease by as much as 30 per cent. Moreover, “One in three Canadians who have hypertension would have normal blood pressure if there was less sodium in our food,” says Dr. Norm Campbell, president of Blood Pressure Canada, who spearheaded development of a National Sodium Policy statement.

Most of the excess sodium in the Canadian diet is hidden in processed foods.

Blood Pressure Canada has issued a policy statement that includes recommendations aimed at reducing the sodium intake of Canadians to the recommended level by January 1, 2020.

The policy, which has been endorsed by a coalition of health groups, urges the federal government to:
- set graduated targets for sodium levels according to food categories;
- monitor and report on progress by 2012 and 2016
- establish effective monitoring systems to track sodium levels in the diets of Canadians
- educate Canadians on the health risks of high dietary sodium and how to reduce consumption
- provide incentives to the food industry
- ensure health professionals understand the need to reduce dietary sodium and educate their membership about health risks and how to reduce intake

Signatories to the National Sodium Policy statement include:
Blood Pressure Canada, Canadian Stroke Network, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Dietitians of Canada, Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses, Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Canadian Medical Association, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadian Hypertension Society, Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Society of Internal Medicine, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Public Health Association, Canadian Society of Nephrology, Canadian Nurses Association and Canadian Heart Failure Network and Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Posted on October 25, 2007