AMA Resolutions

Resolution: X  (A-01)

Introduced by:
American College of Preventive Medicine

Subject: 
Reducing Americans’ Salt Intake

---------------------------------------------------

Whereas, 75% of the sodium chloride (salt) in the diet of the average American comes from salt commercially added to the food supply, and

Whereas, the evidence, as summarized in the first issues of the NEJM this year, is now incontrovertible that this huge salt load is a major cause of hypertension, and

Whereas, the multifaceted adverse impacts on the health of America from the resulting hypertension is enormous, and

Whereas, the many alternative modern methods for food preservation make the addition of salt to our nation’s food supply practically unnecessary, and

Whereas, modern culinary science recognizes that only the low levels of salt naturally occurring in food is necessary for optimal palatability and enjoyment of food, and

Whereas, the human palate naturally seeks salt, an essential dietary component, but quickly accommodates and becomes habituated to enjoy either high or low levels of dietary salt, making this primarily a public health rather than an individual palatability issue, and

Whereas, the pervasive addition of salt to American food by the processed food and restaurant industries now makes it very difficult for even motivated individuals and patients to comply with optimal levels of dietary sodium intake, despite widespread food label information about salt content, due to (1) a lack of practical low salt alternatives in many situations and (2) the constant up regulation of the palate’s desire for salt by an unavoidable or an inadvertent high salt meal, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the American Medical Association officially recommend a low sodium diet (1) to patients with hypertension as an important component of treatment and (2) to all normotensive individuals as an effective means of preventing the development of hypertension, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the American Medical Association initiate dialogues with the Food and Drug Administration, the National Restaurant Association, the American Heart Association, the Salt Institute, and other appropriate organizations that will: (1) explore the use of other methods of food preservation (salt substitutes) that have lower risk to health and are palatable; and (2) substantially reduce the commercial addition of salt to food in America, thus allowing individuals the practical ability to choose the amount of salt that they consume.

Fiscal Impact: None

H-150.997 Excess Sodium in the Diet: Our AMA supports continued use of its publications to inform the public of foods containing high sodium levels, and the relationship of sodium intake to the potential development and control of hypertension. (Sub. Res. 22, A-77; Reaffirmed: CLRPD Rep. C, A-89; Reaffirmed: Sunset Report, A-00)

H-150.990 Sodium in Processed Foods: The AMA (1) encourages physicians to reinforce the profession's public education programs when counseling their patients; and (2) supports the efforts of food industries to achieve useful reductions in the sodium content of processed food, without compromising their safety or nutritive values. (CSA Rep. G, A-82; Amended: CLRPD Rep. A, I-92)