ATLANTA, GA (Catholic Online) - In fact, the CDC doesn't say that we are simply exceeding the guidelines, rather we are leaving them in the dust. The daily recommended intake of sodium for adults and teens equals 2,300 mg. However, the report says the average intake is 3,513 mg, a 53 percent overplus above the limit.

Every age group in the US population is consuming too much sodium.

The CDC is also warning that it's not enough to keep the salt shaker in the cupboard. Most sodium intake comes from processed foods and restaurant foods that are virtual staples of the American diet. According to the report, approximately 3/4 of the sodium consumed in the United States comes from these sources.

This is important to understand because most people do not add salt to their food and may be under the false impression that their sodium intake is acceptable. According to Janelle Gunn, co-author of the report and a public health analyst with the CDC, ""A lot of people tend to think.'I don't add salt to my food,' without realizing that they've probably already exceeded-and in some cases probably doubled-their intake before they've even picked up the salt-shaker."

While sodium intake is important to health and nutrition, too much sodium can be dangerous. In high amounts, sodium can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, and even kidney disease.

Some efforts are underway to reduce nationwide sodium intake. In the UK, a public-private partnership has already led to the estimated 10 percent reduction of sodium intake among the people there. It is believed that similar programs in the United States could also have a positive outcome. So far more than two dozen food manufacturers and restaurants including Kraft, Heinz, Goya, and Subway have signed on to the National Salt Reduction Initiative. These companies have made a pledge to decrease sodium in their foods by up to 25percent by 2014.

While food manufacturers and the CDC work on programs to reduce sodium intake, the individual is not without recourse. Consuming fewer restaurant meals, less processed foods, and leaving the salt-shaker in the cupboard can go a long way to reducing sodium intake. People are also reminded that the ultimate responsibility for what they consume is not on the shoulders of corporations, but rather in the hands of the individual.

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