Changes in sodium levels of processed foods among the International Food and Beverage Association member companies in Australia: 2013–2017

Abstract

Excess dietary sodium is a modifiable cause of high blood pressure. The World Health Organization has targeted a 30 % reduction in mean population sodium consumption by 2025. In 2008, members of the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) made commitments to lower sodium content in their products. The aim of this study was to determine recent changes in sodium levels between 2013 and 2017 in foods and beverages produced by companies that are IFBA members (n = 10) and non-IFBA members (n = 6) that were included in the 2018 Global Access to Nutrition Index operating in Australia. Independent Samples t-tests and Mann Whitney U tests were used to test the differences in sodium levels. There was no clear difference in sodium content between 2013 and 2017 detectable for the IFBA members (mean difference 17 mg/100 g, 95 % confidence interval (CI), –82 to +48; p = 0.612; median difference 27 mg/100 g, p = 0.582). For the non-IFBA companies there was a decrease in median sodium content (−30 mg/100 g; P = 0.002) but not mean sodium content (−52 mg/100 g, 95 % CI −106 to +3; p = 0.064). Sodium reduction in IFBA companies appear to have had slow progress in Australia. Stronger implementation and monitoring programs are needed to drive industry action.