Salt Content Looms As Possible Next Big Health Issue For Operators (1/2)

Health And Nutrition Salt Content Looms As Possible Next Big Health Issue For Operators While trans fats have been a growing health concern for the U.S. restaurant industry in the past year, sodium is moving toward center stage as the next hot topic. Already, sodium content is under fire in the United Kingdom, and such chains as KFC and Burger King are looking into ways to reduce salt in food items sold there. And with high blood pressure in Americans — especially children — on the rise and the number of deaths attributed to the condition jumping 56.6 percent from 1992 to 2002, according to the American Heart Association, sodium consumption is moving onto the radars of more restaurant operators. “Currently, restaurants are more concerned with trans fat, total fat and calories, and sodium is coming below these issues,” said Sheila Cohn, director of nutrition policy at the National Restaurant Association. But, she added, “I think the concern about sodium is coming. A lot of food manufacturers are already making changes in the sauces and soups they make.” Salt has long been a friend of the food industry because of its wide use as a preservative and a seasoning. However, most experts agree that Americans consume far too much of it in both packaged and restaurant foods. Excessive salt consumption has been linked to such health risks as high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to the American Heart Association, based in Chicago. Currently, about 65 million Americans have high blood pressure, and 30 percent of them do not know they have it, said Milton Stokes, R.D., spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. The so-called “silent killer” has been shown to increase risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure. Although the cause of high blood pressure for about 95 percent of cases is unknown, it can be affected by many lifestyle factors, including excessive salt consumption, Stokes said. Salt is undoubtedly a tricky topic, experts note, especially because some sodium is needed for good health. “Sodium isn’t entirely a bad guy,” Stokes explained. “We need sodium for maintaining fluid balance and for muscle functions.” According to the Salt Institute, based in Alexandria, Va., Americans consume 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day on average, with men consuming greater amounts than women. The National Academy of Sciences suggests that adults should eat at least 500 milligrams of sodium a day and, according to the American Heart Association, no more than 2,300 milligrams, or about 1 teaspoon. “It’s been demonstrated that decreasing sodium is much better for lowering hypertension than taking medication with side effects,” said Jan Dodds, a representative from the Society for Nutrition Education who was recently appointed to the advisory board of the American Council on Fitness and Nutrition. “So whatever restaurants can do to foster that will be an advantage.” Some restaurant companies overseas have been active in significantly reducing salt on their menus. As part of a recent campaign spearheaded by the U.K.-based Food Standards Agency, two well-known American chains, KFC and Burger King, have made efforts to cut salt on their menus. “For KFC and Burger King this is a substantial commitment because a lot of sodium is used in the processing of their food,” Dodds said. The U.K. arm of Burger King has debuted over the past year a number of health-based menu initiatives, including reducing salt by 50 percent in its chicken bites, said a company official. And KFC, which is owned by Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc., announced last January that it would stop adding salt to its fries sold in the United Kingdom.