Abstract
Most Americans have dietary sodium intakes that far exceed recommendations. Given the association of high sodium with hypertension, strategies to reduce sodium intakes are an important public health target. Glutamates, such as monosodium glutamate, represent a potential strategy to reduce overall intakes while preserving product palatability; therefore, this project aimed to model sodium replacement with glutamates. The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate current sodium intakes, and intakes resulting from glutamate substitution (25%–45%) in a limited set of food groups for which substitution is possible. Data sets for individuals aged ≥1 year enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2016 (n = 16,183) were used in the analyses. Glutamate substitution in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food codes was modeled by conservatively altering estimates of sodium intake reductions derived from the published, peer-reviewed literature. The addition of glutamates to certain food categories has the potential to reduce the population’s sodium intake by approximately 3% overall and by 7%–8% among consumers of ≥1 product category in which glutamates were substituted for sodium chloride. Although using glutamates to substitute the amount of sodium among certain food groups may show modest effects on intakes across the population, it is likely to have a more substantial effect on individuals who consume specific products.
Highlights
IntroductionDietary sodium reduction is an important goal for the improvement of public health, as reduced sodium intake has been shown to decrease hypertension risk [1]
Using glutamates to substitute the amount of sodium among certain food groups may show modest effects on intakes across the population, it is likely to have a more substantial effect on individuals who consume specific products
Dietary sodium reduction is an important goal for the improvement of public health, as reduced sodium intake has been shown to decrease hypertension risk [1]
Summary
Dietary sodium reduction is an important goal for the improvement of public health, as reduced sodium intake has been shown to decrease hypertension risk [1]. Many multifaceted policy and education initiatives aimed at reducing sodium intakes have been ongoing for decades. It has been estimated that a 40% reduction in the U.S population’s intake of sodium over 10 years may save at least 280,000 lives [3] and drastically reduce the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Despite ongoing public health education and policy initiatives, the preponderance of the U.S population exceeds current recommendations for sodium intake [4]. 86% exceed 2300 mg dietary sodium/day [5]
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