The FDA is calling for lower sodium in commercially processed, packaged and prepared foods.
Michigan's Henry Ford Health System has announced its leaders are supporting the voluntary proposal as sodium consumption creeps higher across the country.
“The FDA approving these new targets could save thousands of lives annually,” stated Tom Rifai, M.D., Regional Medical Director for Metabolic Health & Weight Management at Henry Ford Health System, in a press release.
Health guidelines recommend healthy adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams per day -- but on average, Henry Ford Health System cites research that shows Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams per day.
Leaders at Henry Ford Health System point to restaurant meals as regular culprits, noting the food can contain "more than a day's worth" of sodium.
They also say high sodium intake has been linked to increased risk of heart attack and other medical conditions.
But, not everyone is sold on the guidelines. The Salt Institute issued a statement after the announced FDA proposal that reads in part: "FDA’s efforts at significantly curtailing sodium intake could actually expose a sizable subset of the population to an increased risk of disease."
Comments can be issued on the FDA proposal through October 31.
Watch the video in the player above as Henry Ford Health System explains where sodium may be hiding in your daily meals.
FDA Sodium Reduction Goals HFHS Letter by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
