Salt Shaker and Your Heart

According to the American Heart Association, the leading cause of death in this country is heart disease and stroke, and eating too much sodium raises this risk. A third of American adults have high blood pressure, which generated $76 billion in medical costs and lost productivity in 2010. Guidelines from the American Heart Association advise getting no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, but most Americans consume twice this recommended daily amount. Americans get most of their sodium from salt in prepared or processed foods (77%). Currently, 27 states, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands regulate the sodium content of foods served in certain facilities (i.e., prisons); and 10 states make it easier for recipients of food stamps (SNAP) and federal Women, Infants and children (WIC) benefits to buy low sodium foods.

Source: NCSL staff legal research, 2011