Reducing sodium intake is a critical, achievable and effective public health action to reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.^1,2 In the United States, about 90% of the population consumes sodium in excess of recommended levels,³ at a mean intake of about 3,400mg/day.⁴ Available evidence shows that higher sodium intake is strongly associated with higher blood pressure,^5,6,7 which contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths per day and is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the first and fourth leading causes of death, respectively.^8,9 Averting many of these deaths is possible with population-wide sodium reduction, which can be achieved through standards for sodium levels in prepared and packaged foods that allow Americans greater ability to choose their own salt intake.¹

The objective of this study was to compare the sodium content of a regular food and its lower calorie/fat counterpart. Four food categories, among the top 20 contributing the most sodium to the US diet, met the criteria of having the most matches between regular foods and their lower calorie/fat counterparts. A protocol was used to search websites to create a list of “matches”, a regular and comparable lower calorie/fat food(s) under each brand. Nutrient information was recorded and analyzed for matches. In total, 283 matches were identified across four food categories: savory snacks (N = 44), cheese (N = 105), salad dressings (N = 90), and soups (N = 44). As expected, foods modified from their regular versions had significantly reduced average fat (total fat and saturated fat) and caloric profiles. Mean sodium content among modified salad dressings and cheeses was on average 8%–12% higher, while sodium content did not change with modification of savory snacks. Modified soups had significantly lower mean sodium content than their regular versions (28%–38%). Consumers trying to maintain a healthy diet should consider that sodium content may vary in foods modified to be lower in calories/fat.

Background: Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is associated with an increased risk of some health outcomes. Objective: We investigated the relationships between knowledge of health risks related to SSB and SSB intake among adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the 2021 SummerStyles survey. There were 4022 US adult participants (≥18 years). The outcome variable was SSB intake (none, >0 to <1, 1 to <2, or ≥2 times/day). The exposure variables were knowledge of the association between SSB and seven health conditions. Statistical analyses included seven multinomial regressions to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for the consumption of SSB according to knowledge of SSB-related health risks after controlling for sociodemographics. Results: Overall, about 30% of adults consumed SSB ≥ 2 times/day. While most adults identified SSB-related conditions such as weight gain (84.0%), diabetes (78.4%), and cavities (74.2%) as being related to drinking SSB, fewer adults recognized related conditions, such as some cancers (23.9%), high cholesterol (28.4%), heart disease (33.5%), and high blood pressure (37.8%). Knowledge of any of the health conditions was not significantly associated with consuming SSB ≥ 2 times/day compared to non-SSB consumers. Conclusions: Knowledge of SSB-related health conditions varied by sociodemographics but was not associated with high SSB intake. Future studies could explore other factors beyond knowledge that may influence adults’ high SSB intake.

Objectives: Identify iodized table salt sales as a percentage of all table salt sales at the retail level in the United States. Methods: Nielsen Scan track (New York, NY) 2009 data was used to identify salt products sold in the United States. Nielsen collects information from a stratified probability sample of chain and large independent grocery stores. Sales data are aggregated and not linked to individuals. Two grocery modules that included salt products were identified. Following a standard search protocol, two dietitians categorized the salt products as iodized or non‐iodized using product descriptions. More details related to the ingredients and label were obtained using the manufacturer and other websites. Results: A total of 1117 salt products were identified, of which 701 were salt blends (e.g., garlic salt) comprising 16% of the sales volume of the total salt products. Of the remaining 416 salt products, 57 were iodized based on available label information. When weighted by sales volume (in ounces or each sold), 53% of salt sold (excluding salt blends) was iodized. Of the 47% of non‐iodized salt sold, about 68% was regular salt, 19% Kosher salt, and 12% sea salt. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the proportion of iodized and non‐iodized salt sales at the retail level in the United States. Sales data from Nielsen ScanTrack do not include warehouse stores (e.g. Walmart and Costco), retailers with sales less than @2 million, or non‐UPC coded products and not all places where salt can be purchased were tracked. These findings may provide a baseline for future monitoring of sales of iodized salt.