Survey: 59% of Americans say they are not concerned about sodium intake

Sep 28 2011

Few Americans can tell you how much sodium they should consume each day and most aren't concerned with their personal sodium intake. According to the 2011 International Food Information Council Sodium Survey, 59 percent of Americans say they're not concerned about their sodium intake, consistent with findings in 2009.

Seventy percent of Americans say they don't know how much sodium they should get in a day. The numbers are similar for people with high blood pressure, with 56 percent not knowing how much or overestimating how much sodium they should consume in a day.

"With all the attention sodium has received in the last few years, including in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it's surprising that Americans are still not well aware of sodium guidelines," said Marianne Smith Edge, International Food Information Council Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Food Safety. "Particularly for the at-risk populations, such as those with high blood pressure, these results show there's a great educational opportunity available to highlight the variety of ways to manage blood pressure."

While a strong majority of Americans (83 percent) feel that certain people should be concerned with their sodium intake—primarily those with high blood pressure and those with weight issues —getting through to consumers may be difficult. On an unaided basis, consumers express very little interest in learning anything about sodium. When prompted, however, 50 to 63 percent are interested in topics regarding recommended intakes, food sources, and health impacts. If they hear anything about sodium, they want the information to come primarily from the medical community (55 percent), followed by the food label (46 percent), the government (31 percent), and food manufacturers (30 percent).

Taste is seen as the top barrier for those not limiting their sodium intake with about 4 in 10 believing taste will suffer. Americans also see sodium reduction as just one of many contributing factors to a healthful diet. Increasing fruits and vegetables (70 percent) is far and away the consumers' top choice when rating the three most important elements of a healthful diet, which is consistent with health professional recommendations. Only 38 percent rated limiting sodium as one of the most important factors. While the contribution of limiting sodium to a healthful diet remains middle-of-the-pack in the eyes of consumers, limiting sugar (48%) and monitoring calories (45%) saw significant increases from 2009.

"Because there are a variety of factors and approaches that go into building a healthful diet, it's not surprising that limiting sodium is trumped by other dietary factors," according to Smith Edge. "It is clear Americans understand positive messages that involve foods versus just nutrients - like eat more fruits and vegetables—as a good way to consume less sodium and more potassium."

Source: International Food Information Council