Mixed
Approximately 10% of the U.S. population consumes more than 5000 mg of sodium per day, which is more than twice the recommended limit of 2300 mg/day, with extreme intake levels showing no meaningful decline between 2003 and 2018.
Check your sodium intake if you are in the top 10% of consumers. If you are eating more than 5000mg daily, you are consuming more than double the recommended limit. This level of intake is associated with higher cardiovascular risk and is not declining in the population, suggesting a need for targeted reduction strategies.
The intake at upper percentiles remained extremely high: approximately 10% of the population consumed more than 5000 mg of sodium per day, which is more than twice the recommended limit of 2300 mg/day.
Why this rating
Large sample size (60,663 participants) and longitudinal data (16 years) from a nationally representative survey (NHANES), though based on self-reported 24h recalls.
Source
Beyond the Average: Trends in Extreme Sodium Intake in the U.S. Population, 2003–2018
Yutong Chen et al. · Nutrients · 2025
DOI 10.3390/nu17121975
More from this paper
- Sodium intake among boys in the U.S. shows an alarming accelerating increase over time, whereas girls show a steady decline, indicating a diverging gender trend in extreme sodium consumption.Good
- Current sodium reduction efforts in the U.S. are insufficient to meet the WHO's global target of a 30% sodium reduction by 2030, as extreme intake levels remain high and show no meaningful decline.Good
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