Mixed
Implementing the US FDA's voluntary sodium reformulation targets for processed foods reduces population sodium intake, lowers systolic blood pressure, and significantly decreases cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, resulting in substantial net cost savings for society.
Supporting the FDA's voluntary sodium reduction goals for processed foods is a highly effective public health strategy. Even if compliance is not 100%, reducing sodium intake in processed foods lowers blood pressure and prevents hundreds of thousands of cardiovascular events, saving billions in healthcare costs. Focus on choosing lower-sodium processed options and advocating for industry reformulation.
Implementing and achieving the FDA sodium reformulation targets could generate substantial health gains and net cost savings.
Why this rating
Based on a validated microsimulation model using high-quality meta-analyses and large population datasets (NHANES), though it is a modeling study rather than a direct RCT.
Source
Estimating the health and economic effects of the proposed US Food and Drug Administration voluntary sodium reformulation: Microsimulation cost-effectiveness analysis
Jonathan Pearson‐Stuttard et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2018
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