U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Surgeon General

1979

Healthy People: Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Public Health Service, 1979)

Consume less salt; cook with only small amounts of salt, avoid adding salt at the table, avoid salty prepared foods

All Americans

1988

Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health (Public Health Service, 1988)

Reduce intake of sodium by choosing foods relatively low in sodium and limiting the amount of salt added in food preparation and at the table

All Americans

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Public Health Service

1980

Promoting Health and Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation (Public Health Service, 1980)

By 1990:

• Reduce the average daily sodium ingestion (as measured by excretion) for adults to at least the 3,000–6,000 mg range

• > 75% of the population should be able to identify the principal dietary factors for high blood pressure and three other diseases

• 70% of adults should be able to identify the major foods that are low in sodium

• Sodium in processed foods should be reduced by 20% from present levels

All Americans

1990

Healthy People 2000 (NCHS, 2001)

Increase % of persons preparing foods without adding salt from 43% (baseline) to a target of 65%

Increase % of persons rarely or never using salt at the table from 60% (baseline) to 80%

Increase % of persons regularly purchasing foods with reduced salt and sodium content from 20 (baseline) to 40%

All Americans