Mayor Bloomberg, the mayor who declared war on tobacco, sugary drinks and trans fats, has identified a new public enemy — now he wants to protect New Yorkers from salt.
Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley launches a campaign today to cut New Yorkers’ sodium intake by one-fifth over five years.
“If we achieve our goal, we would talk about saving tens of thousands of lives,” Farley said, predicting that deaths from strokes and heart attacks will dramatically fall.
The City Health Department is spearheading the National Salt Reduction Initiative, which will cajole food manufacturers to voluntarily cut sodium content 20 to 25 percent by 2014.
Some 26 other cities, states and organizations, including the American Medical Association, back the campaign.
The initiative is modeled on a program enacted in the United Kingdom to lower sodium in 85 food categories. It resulted in a 9 percent drop in sodium consumption over nine years.
Table salt, which accounts for a minuscule amount of a person’s salt intake, is not targeted.
After more than a year of meetings with major food producers, the US food industry is offering cautious support.
“We very much believe we share a common goal with New York City,” said Juli Mandel Sloves, a spokeswoman for Campbell Soup Co.
She added, however, “The recommendations proposed are laudable but very aggressive.”
She noted that the sodium in Campbell’s soups was cut 50 percent from its 1980s level.
“To lower it another 20 percent is a challenge,” she said.
The Snack Food Association, the lobbying arm for makers of potato chips and other salty munchies, worried the timeline was too quick.
“We can do it — we just might not be able to do it within certain deadlines,” said spokeswoman Lisa Katic. “Companies want to reduce slowly so you can bring consumers to the [new] taste.”
The initiative is voluntary — meaning there will be no fines or bans for non-compliance.
Restaurants are also being asked to cut sodium.
“We think, unlike some previous initiatives, like trans fats, . . . this shows how industry and the Health Department can work together for a positive healthy goal,” said Robert Bookman of the New York State Restaurant Association.
Between 75 to 80 percent of a typical person’s daily sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant foods.
The typical American consumes 3.3 grams a day, according to the feds. That’s more than double the recommended limit of 2.3 grams.
A high-sodium diet can raise blood pressure and cause heart disease.
But the Salt Institute, which represents large salt distributors, lashed out against the move.
“There’s a certain arrogance when the New York City Health Department is setting policy for the rest of the country,” said spokeswoman Lisa Roman. “These are decisions that should be made personally.”
She pointed to criticism from Dr. Michael Alderman, a hypertension expert at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who said such policies may have unintended consequences.
For instance, the low-fat food craze caused some people to gain weight as they overindulged in what they thought were healthy snacks.