75% of Americans Want Less Sodium in Processed and Restaurant Foods Infographic

On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily, but 97% do not know or underestimate their intake.

Americans estimate their sodium consumption per day at:

• Do not know - 35%
• 500mg - 12%
• 1,000mg - 17%
• 1,500mg - 14%
• 2,000mg - 11%
• 2,500mg - 5%
• 3,000mg - 3%
• 3,500mg - 2% (average intake)
• 4,000mg - 1%

Americans’ sodium intake comes from*:

• Processed and restaurant foods 77%
• Naturally occurring 12%
• Added while eating 6%
• Added while cooking 5%

58% have tried to reduce the amount of sodium in their diet.

57% want more choice or control over the sodium content in their food.

56% think the government should play a role in reducing sodium in foods by setting mandatory (31%) or voluntary (25%) limits

21% incorrectly believe that there are already limits on how much sodium can be added to processed foods

15% incorrectly believe there are already limits for restaurant foods

Heart.org/sodium

Download a PDF of this infographic.

Results from an American Heart Association survey of 1,000 U.S. adults in November 2013 *Mattes and Donnelly, J Am Coll Nutr. 1991; 10:383-393