《减盐资讯》2015年10月10-23日

《减盐资讯》汇总自上一期起最新的与钠摄入和减盐相关的新闻文章（或标题），大约每两周发布一次。内容包括：行业资讯、政府资讯、各州/地方资讯、国际资讯、新的调查和研究成果等等。目的是为了让公众对与钠相关的新闻话题有一个快速了解。

Salt in the News captures news articles (or headlines) related to sodium and sodium reduction that have been published since the last edition, about every 2 weeks. Content includes Industry News, Government News, State/Local News, International News, New Studies and Research, and more. The purpose is to provide a snapshot of sodium-related topics in the media.

October 10–23, 2015

Government News

Are Fats Unhealthy? The Battle over Dietary Guidelines 

According to Aaron E. Carroll, a professor of pediatrics, there was considerable disagreement at the recent congressional hearing on the scope and reliability of the science behind the dietary guidelines that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services establish every 5 years. Sparking much of the debate, according to Carroll, was a recent BMJ article whose author argued that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which advises the USDA, is not using good research to make its decisions. Carroll disagrees with the BMJ article’s criticism of the use of research to inform recommendations about saturated fats and carbohydrates but agrees that its criticism of sodium studies is valid: A growing body of evidence should give people pause before they continue to argue that everyone needs to consume less sodium. According to Carroll, the advisory committee’s report still seems to focus on people with high blood pressure, not the general public. – New York Times 

Lawsuit Says FDA Has Dragged Its Feet in the Fight Against Excessive Salt 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which has been suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 10 years, said that it has no choice after the FDA ignored a petition asking it to treat salt as a food additive. “For more than 35 years, FDA has dragged its feet and refused to do anything to protect Americans from excess sodium in the food supply,” said CSPI president Michael F. Jacobson. CSPI’s 2005 petition asked the FDA to revoke salt’s status as a “generally recognized as safe” substance and to treat it as a food additive under the law. The petition specifically urged the agency to require food manufacturers to gradually reduce the amount of sodium in different categories of processed food and to require health messages on retail packages of table salt weighing half an ounce or more. Americans’ sodium intake has continued to climb—a sign that the voluntary approach urged by the FDA and the food industry has failed, said CSPI. – ConsumerAffairs 

Students Rebel Against Bland Foods in Cafeterias 

Five years after Congress passed the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act, participation in school lunches across the United States has declined by 4% (1.5 million students), food waste has gone up, and growing numbers of lunch rooms are operating at a loss. A recently released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report blamed dwindling amounts of salt and butter fats in the new federal recipes for the decline in participation, noting, “It is unlikely that children will be easily motivated to continue to eat foods they find unappealing.” However, the GAO report also found that many students’ taste preferences are adjusting to the new menus. “It makes you feel better. When you eat good foods, you feel a lot better about yourself; you feel a lot better just in general,” says Lexi Atzen, a high school senior, in a U.S. Department of Agriculture video about the new menu. The report also found that many students are bypassing the new rules by sneaking salt shakers onto campus and creating a black market for potato chips. – Christian Science Monitor 

State/Local News 

Salt Gets an Unfair Shake, Public Health Feels the Pinch 

New York City is set to become the first city in the United States to require sodium warnings on menus after the city’s Board of Health voted unanimously to require large establishments to post warnings for any item containing more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium. But a growing body of evidence suggests that current guidance on dietary sodium may actually be misdirected, according to associate professor Sean C. Lucan at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The link between sodium and blood pressure is less consistent, less pronounced, and more nuanced than most people realize, according to Lucan, and the link between sodium and heart disease represents a leap in logic. Moreover, noted Lucan, sodium labeling could direct attention away from bigger problems with nutrition. Lucan warned that as food companies are incentivized to make reduction in in high sodium items when the labeling takes effect, they will need to replace the salt with something else to achieve palatable products, and that replacement may often be sugar. – Huffington Post 

International News 

Canadian Kids’ Meals Packed with Sodium 

Many Canadians think that they are healthier than Americans, so the recent news that kids’ meals at fast food restaurants are saltier in Canada surprised many. Why should the same Chicken Nugget Happy Meal have almost 1.5 grams of sodium in Canada, about 1 gram in the United States, and 0.75 grams in the United Kingdom? The survey found that more than half of the fast food kids’ meals sold in Canada contain more than 1 gram of sodium. Children aged 1 to 3 years old should consume no more 1 gram of sodium each day, and children aged 4 years and older should consume no more than 1.2 to 1.5 grams a day, according to Health Canada. That means that when children eat a fast food meal, they are likely getting more sodium than they need for an entire day. For example, a KFC Junior Chicken and Fries meal contains more than 3.5 grams of sodium. Canada can reduce sodium in products gradually, and people’s taste buds will adapt, as has happened in the United Kingdom. But Health Canada’s voluntary sodium reduction strategy has not been effective in motivating Canadian companies to reformulate their products. – Huffington Post Canada 

Nestlé Australia Cuts Salt, Fat, and Sugar from Popular Granola Bars 

Nestlé has drastically cut salt, fat, and sugar from its popular granola bars, a sign that the Australian Health Star Rating scheme is having the desired effect of pushing companies into making more nutritious food. The global food company announced it had spent $7 million to reformulate its Uncle Tobys “chewy” and “yoghurt top” bars—Australia’s highest-selling granola bars—and double the average Health Star Rating. On average across the 10 granola bars, Nestle reduced salt content by 63%, sugar by 32%, and fat by 16%. “Government can’t force people to eat healthy or exercise, but we can help by giving them the tools to eat healthier,” said Fiona Nash, Minister for Rural Health and former assistant health minister. “The Health Star Rating system allows time-poor parents to determine the health rating of a product within a category at a glance.” – Sydney Morning Herald 

Other

Seven Foods That May Contain Too Much Sodium 

Fad diets may come and go, but limiting sodium intake is a constant when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Contrary to what marketing efforts may lead people to believe, the loose regulation of words like “natural” and “skinny” means it is easy to be led astray. There are a number of foods high in salt that do not even taste salty. When shopping, people should check the sodium content on food labels, especially for certain items, including bagels, sauces, and canned vegetables. A plain bagel contains an average of about 500 milligrams of sodium, tomato sauce can have up to 670 milligrams per serving, and a serving of canned green beans can contain about 376 milligrams of sodium. – CheatSheet 

Are Gourmet Salts Healthier than Table Salt? 

Even though many people know to cut back on the amount of salt added to foods while cooking and at the table, most people are still getting way too much sodium that is hidden in take-out, restaurant fare, and processed foods. Many varieties of salt can add different flavors and textures to a meal, but are any of them really healthier? Gourmet salts do have larger crystals, which means that they have less sodium per teaspoon, so less can be used, and they can add a crunchy texture and more flavor. To reduce sodium, the article recommends eating lots of vegetables and some fruit to counteract sodium’s effects, reducing or eliminating use of processed or packaged foods, cooking more meals at home, and using fresh herbs and natural spices to add flavor to meals instead of salt. – Fox News 

Salt in the News content is selected solely on the basis of newsworthiness and potential interest to readers. CDC assumes no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC. 

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For questions or comments, or to be added to or removed from this communication, contact Jessica Levings at JLevings@cdc.gov.