Canadian Salt Use Too High

OTTAWA - Apr 10/07 - SNS -- Canadians used more salt than recommended in 2004, according to a new Statistics Canada study published today in Health Reports.

Using data from the nutrition component of the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), Statistics Canada said sodium intake was far beyond the recommended upper level for consumption across all age groups in the country.

Among individuals aged 19 to 70, the upper limit was surpassed by more than 85% of men and 60% of women. The Washington, D.C.-based Institute of Medicine, an independent organization, has established "tolerable upper intake levels" for sodium. These levels range from 1,500 to 2,200 milligrams (mg) a day for children aged one to three, to a maximum of 2,300 mg for people aged 14 or older.

Consumption exceeding these limits increases the risks of adverse health effects, especially those linked to hypertension.

The study found that in 2004, the average for all Canadians was 3,092 mg of sodium a day, one-third more than the maximum.

Men consumed more sodium than women; intakes were above 4,100 mg a day for men aged 14 to 30, compared with just over 2,900 mg for women.

Even young children consumed too much. Children aged one to three averaged close to 2,000 mg a day in 2004. In this age group, 77% of children exceeded the recommended daily limit.

Sodium consumption exceeded the recommended levels throughout the country, but two provinces stood out. In Quebec and British Columbia, the average daily intake for people aged one or older was around 3,300 mg.

In Ontario, the only province where daily sodium consumption was below the national average, intake averaged 2,871 mg, still above the recommended level.

A relatively small grouping of foods accounted for close to a third of all the sodium Canadians consumed in 2004. The "sandwich" category (pizza, sandwiches, submarines, hamburgers, hot dogs) led the way, representing 19% of sodium intake. This was followed by soups (7%) and pasta dishes (6%).

The amount of salt people added to their food was not measured by the CCHS, and it was not included in daily sodium intake.

Even so, the people whose diets contained the most sodium were also the most likely to report adding salt to their food "very often." They averaged 3,396 mg of sodium a day. In contrast, people who reported "never" adding salt to their food averaged 2,927 mg.