Salt Overconsumption by Canadians

Fast-food folly - Canadians consume too much salt, risk illness, study finds

A new study suggests most Canadians are consuming far more salt in their average daily diet than is necessary or recommended.

The Statistics Canada study, based on a 2004 survey, found that average daily sodium intake was far beyond the recommended upper limit, regardless of age.

Among adults ages 19 to 70, the upper limit was surpassed by more than 85 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women.

The tolerable upper-intake levels for sodium established by the independent Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., range from 1,500 to 2,200 milligrams a day for children aged one to three, to a maximum of 2,300 mg for people aged 14 or older.

The study found that in 2004, the average for all Canadians was 3,092 mg of sodium a day, a third more than the point beyond which the risks of adverse health effects, especially those linked to hypertension, rise significantly.

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

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 per cent of sodium intake, while soups accounted for seven per cent and pasta dishes made up six per cent of salt intake.

Source: CBC.ca