Robin McKinnon, PhD, MPA, Senior Advisor for Nutrition Policy at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition discusses the recently announced FDA voluntary sodium reduction goals for Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods. She offers insight into the measures being taken to educate consumers, change packaging, taste innovation and how the government is working with industry to achieve a 12 percent reduction in sodium intake over the next 2.5 years.
Most Americans consume dietary sodium exceeding age-specific government-recommended targets of 1,500–2,300 mg/day per person. Americans consume on average 50% more than the recommended limit for those age 14 years and older which could have profound impacts on later health outcomes.
It’s not the salt shaker - The majority (71%) of US dietary sodium comes from restaurant and packaged foods.
Why is it important? Excess sodium intake contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.
For years, experts and the government have been recommending a reduction in the amount of sodium in our diets and recently – October, 2021 – the FDA announced voluntary sodium reduction goals for Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods.
A major announcement aimed at reducing the burden of diet-related chronic disease, improve #publichealth and advance health equity...
Today to enlighten us on voluntary sodium reduction goals is our guest, Robin McKinnon, PhD, MPA, Senior Advisor for Nutrition Policy at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Dr. McKinnon works to advance the FDA’s nutrition-related activities across CFSAN, including those related to sodium reduction. Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. McKinnon was a Health Policy Specialist at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health. At NCI, Dr. McKinnon led initiatives to advance policy-relevant research on diet, obesity and physical activity. Dr. McKinnon has a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the George Washington University and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.