Trim sodium in processed foods, AMA says

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association on Tuesday overwhelmingly agreed to back a campaign to halve the amount of sodium in restaurant and processed foods during the next 10 years.

The nation's largest doctors group also urged the Food and Drug Administration to revoke rules that have allowed sodium to go unregulated for decades.

Americans consume about 4,000 milligrams to 6,000 milligrams of sodium per day, and the resulting hypertension and cardiovascular disease costs the health-care system "tens of billions of dollars," AMA officials said.

Dietary guidelines released last year set the maximum daily consumption of sodium at 2,300 milligrams — or less than about one teaspoon — while 1,500 milligrams was set as the maximum for people with high blood pressure, blacks and middle-age and older adults.

"Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans. People who reduce dietary sodium intake are taking an important step in preventing future health problems," said Dr. J. James Rohack, a cardiologist and an AMA board member.

The AMA is now on board with the National Institutes of Health, which also has recommended a 5 percent per year reduction in sodium by manufacturers, restaurants and consumers during the next 10 years to bring sodium use in packaged and restaurant food down by 50 percent.

"Just one cup of canned soup can contain more than 50 percent of the FDA recommended daily allowance," Rohack said. "A serving of lasagna in a restaurant can put a diner over their recommended daily sodium allowance in just one meal."

The AMA's decision was decried by the Salt Institute, an industry trade group.

"The American Medical Association has misread the science, confusing blood-pressure effects with health outcomes," said Richard Hanneman, Salt Institute president.

The AMA rejected that argument, saying in a committee report that "excess sodium greatly increases the chance of developing hypertension, heart disease and stroke."