Sodium Content and Sodium Intake Contributions of Store-Bought and Restaurant-Prepared Foods in Their As-Eaten Form: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2018

Background

Guidance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes targets for the food industry to voluntarily reduce the sodium content (mg/100 g) of packaged, processed, and prepared foods sold by stores and restaurants. Assessments of sodium intake by the United States population are needed to inform sodium-reduction efforts.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to assess the sodium content and sodium intake contributions of categories and subgroups of foods obtained from stores and restaurants and determine sodium intake reductions that would be achieved by meeting FDA targets.

Methods

Analyses used dietary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, What We Eat in America (WWEIA), 2009–2018, to assess sodium in foods consumed by the United States population aged 2 y or older. Data describing where foods were obtained were used to identify store-bought and restaurant-prepared foods. Combination codes were used to group foods, such as separate salad ingredients, which were eaten together. Foods in their as-eaten form were then classified into WWEIA food categories and subgroups corresponding to FDA targets. Sample-weighted estimates generated by SUDAAN analyses were used to calculate projected sodium intake reductions.

Results

Store-bought, restaurant-prepared, and other foods contributed 62%, 26%, and 12%, respectively, of sodium in United States diets. Top-ranked food category contributors of sodium included sandwiches, tortilla products, pizza, poultry, soups, and breads. Subgroups of these categories contributing the most sodium included store-bought lunchmeat sandwiches and hotdogs, restaurant-prepared burgers, store-bought and restaurant-prepared tacos/burritos, restaurant-prepared pizza with meat, and store-bought white/wheat bread. Meeting the FDA targets for these subgroups achieved the highest projected sodium intake reductions.

Conclusions

Reductions of sodium in widely consumed foods, such as luncheon-meat sandwiches and restaurant-prepared pizza, have the greatest impact on reducing sodium intake by the United States population. These findings could be used by restauranteurs, food manufacturers, policymakers and regulators, and clinical practitioners to inform sodium-reduction efforts.