. "8 Committee's Considerations and Basis for Recommendations." Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2010.
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Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States
TABLE 8-2 Overview of Initiatives in Other Countries
Country
Public Education
Requests to Industry for Sodium Reformulation
Food Labeling
Comments About Program
Canada
Yes
Yes
Voluntary
Early voluntary reductions by food industry combined with public education and labeling had no impact on sodium intake from processed foods
Too early to assess
Finland
Yes
Yes
Mandatory
Government regulation and implementation of food labeling with high-sodium-content warning
Strong media campaigns to increase public awareness
Much sodium intake under control of consumer (salt at table)
Replacement of usual salt with potassium-enriched Pansalt
Sodium intake decreased from 5,600 mg in 1972 to 3,200 mg in 2002
Blood pressure and stroke mortality rates declined
France
Yes
Yes
Voluntary
Efforts initiated in 2004
Optional sodium labeling being developed
Limited public education in which sodium reduction is the main message; done through the National Nutrition and Health Program
Not much change to date except in the bakery sector, where 33% of bakers claim to have reduced sodium
Ireland
Yes
Yes
Voluntary pending
Collaborative program between government and industry to heighten industry’s awareness about salt and health
Government seeks salt reduction commitments from industry sectors; more than 70 have registered
Working on voluntary universal labeling of salt in packaged foods
