| ■ Food Companies Will Reduce Salt In Products | 2010.05.28 |
| As part of the national effort to lower U.S. sodium consumption by 20%, 16 food companies announced Monday that they plan to reduce the amount of salt in dozens of products such as bacon and flavored rice. The companies said they'll commit to the voluntary National Salt Reduction Initiative, a public-private partnership initiated by New York City, the Associated Press reported. Too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke and other health problems. "If we reduced our sodium intake to recommended levels, we would prevent 44,000 to 92,000 deaths per year in the United States and save $10 billion to $24 billion in health care costs per year," said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley, the AP reported. |