75% of Americans Want Less Sodium in Processed and Restaurant Foods Infographic

75 percent of Americans want less sodium infographic

On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily, but 97% do not know or underestimate their intake.

Americans estimate their sodium consumption per day at:

  • Do not know - 35%
  • 500mg - 12%
  • 1,000mg - 17%
  • 1,500mg - 14%
  • 2,000mg - 11%
  • 2,500mg - 5%
  • 3,000mg - 3%
  • 3,500mg - 2% (average intake)
  • 4,000mg - 1%

Americans’ sodium intake comes from*:

  • Processed and restaurant foods 77%
  • Naturally occurring 12%
  • Added while eating 6%
  • Added while cooking 5%

58% have tried to reduce the amount of sodium in their diet.

57% want more choice or control over the sodium content in their food.

56% think the government should play a role in reducing sodium in foods by setting mandatory (31%) or voluntary (25%) limits

21% incorrectly believe that there are already limits on how much sodium can be added to processed foods

15% incorrectly believe there are already limits for restaurant foods

Heart.org/sodium


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Results from an American Heart Association survey of 1,000 U.S. adults in November 2013 *Mattes and Donnelly, J Am Coll Nutr. 1991; 10:383-393

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