Reducing the Public Health Burden From Elevated Blood Pressure Levels in the United States by Lowering Intake of Dietary Sodium
Stephen Havas, MD, MPH, MS,
Edward J. Roccella, PhD, MPH and
Claude Lenfant, MD
Stephen Havas is with the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Edward J. Roccella and Claude Lenfant are with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Md.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Stephen Havas, MD, MPH, MS, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 660 W Redwood St, Baltimore, MD 21201 (e-mail: shavas{at}epi.umaryland.edu).
Elevated blood pressure levels are a major cause of heart diseaseand stroke. Healthy People 2010 established objectives to reducemortality from these diseases by 20% and to reduce the majorcausal factors associated with these elevated levels, such asexcess sodium intake. The American public consumes far moresodium than is needed, most of which is added by food manufacturersand restaurants.
In November 2002, the American Public Health Association adopteda policy resolution calling for a 50% reduction in sodium inthe nations food supply over the next 10 years. Sucha reduction would greatly enhance the chances of attaining theHealthy People 2010 objectives and would save at least 150 000lives annually. This issue warrants public health intervention.
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