Ministry of Health of Brazil, Brasilia 70058-900, Brazil

Global Health and Sustainability Program, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01255-001, Brazil

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2E8, Canada

Department of Nutrition, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 01255-001, Brazil

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, are responsible for over 70% of deaths in Brazil. Currently, over 25% of Brazilian adults are diagnosed as hypertensive; overall, current dietary sodium intake in Brazil (4700 mg/person) is over twice the international recommendations, and 70–90% of adolescents and adults consume excessive sodium. National sodium reduction strategies consider the main dietary sources of sodium to be added salt to foods, foods consumed outside of the household, and sodium in processed foods. The national voluntary strategy for sodium reduction in priority food categories has been continuously monitored over a 6-year period (2011–2017) and there was a significant 8–34% reduction in the average sodium content of over half food categories. Different food categories have undergone differing reductions in sodium over time, aiding gradual biannual targets to allow industries to develop new technologies and consumers to adapt to foods with less salt. By 2017, most products of all food categories had met the regional targets proposed by the Pan American Health Organization, showing that voluntary sodium reduction strategies can potentially contribute to food reformulation. Nevertheless, regulatory approaches may still be necessary in the future in order to reach all food producers and to allow stronger enforcement to meet more stringent regional targets.

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nilson, E.A.F.; Spaniol, A.M.; Gonçalves, V.S.S.; Moura, I.; Silva, S.A.; L’Abbé, M.; Jaime, P.C. Sodium Reduction in Processed Foods in Brazil: Analysis of Food Categories and Voluntary Targets from 2011 to 2017. Nutrients 2017, , 742.

AMA Style

Nilson EAF, Spaniol AM, Gonçalves VSS, Moura I, Silva SA, L’Abbé M, Jaime PC. Sodium Reduction in Processed Foods in Brazil: Analysis of Food Categories and Voluntary Targets from 2011 to 2017. Nutrients. 2017; 9(7):742.

Nilson, Eduardo A.F.; Spaniol, Ana M.; Gonçalves, Vivian S.S.; Moura, Iracema; Silva, Sara A.; L’Abbé, Mary; Jaime, Patricia C. 2017. "Sodium Reduction in Processed Foods in Brazil: Analysis of Food Categories and Voluntary Targets from 2011 to 2017." Nutrients 9, no. 7: 742.

Source: www.mdpi.com