TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

FDA Weighs Passing Regulations For Salt

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Los Angeles Times

Published: November 29, 2007

Updated: 11/28/2007 11:22 pm

WASHINGTON - Best known for deciding whether medications are safe and effective, the Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to crack down on plain old salt, which doctors say is harmful in the quantities most Americans consume.

At a hearing today, the agency will begin collecting expert testimony on how excess salt in the diet contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes. An increasingly vocal medical community has joined consumer groups to demand government intervention, and the review could lead to federal limits on the salt content of processed foods such as canned soups and breakfast cereals.

In a carefully calibrated response, the food industry has acknowledged the problem but called for voluntary solutions rather than government regulation. More than 75 percent of the salt the average American consumes comes from processed foods and restaurant meals.

The Bush administration, often loath to impose new regulations, might have an added incentive to act in this case: It is planning to launch a national campaign against obesity, and salty foods contribute to the problem because people often wash down hot dogs and potato chips with beverages rich in sugar.

"Normally they're not drinking water, they're drinking soda," said Stephen Havas of the American Medical Association, citing estimates that soft drinks, beer and wine consumed with salty foods add about 280 calories a day to the American diet. "That's huge."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT