Table 3. Mean sodium intakes (mg/day) of Canadian adults at baseline (current) and according to sodium reduction scenarios based on: A) a systematic reduction of the sodium content in packaged foods to meet population mean sodium intake target (2,300 mg/d); B) meeting the WHO recommendation (2,000 mg/d); and C) meeting the Adequate Intake (AI) recommendation for adults (1,500 mg/d).
| Sex | Age | n | Baseline current mean sodium intake (SE) | Baseline SD 1 current mean sodium intake (mg/d) | Scenario A 3 Reformulation mean sodium intake (SE) (2300 mg/d) | Scenario A SD 2 Reformulation sodium intake (mg/d) | Scenario B 3 WHO goal mean sodium intake (2000 mg/d) | Scenario B SD 2 WHO goal sodium intake (mg/d) | Scenario C 3 AI goal sodium intake (1500 mg/d) | Scenario C SD 2 AI goal sodium intake (mg/d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1–71+ | 20176 | 2758 (21) | 2997 | 2299 (12) | 1733 | 2000 | 2174 | 1500 | 1630 |
| Male | 19–30 | 882 | 2983 (64) | 1886 | 2485 (40) | 1200 | 2163 | 1367 | 1623 | 1026 |
| 31–50 | 2077 | 3036 (42) | 1910 | 2529 (17) | 757 | 2201 | 1384 | 1652 | 1039 | |
| 51–70 | 2246 | 3103 (44) | 2081 | 2585 (21) | 991 | 2249 | 1508 | 1688 | 1132 | |
| 71+ | 1246 | 3196 (45) | 1596 | 2662 (13) | 455 | 2317 | 1157 | 1739 | 868 | |
| Female | 19–30 | 897 | 2236 (48) | 1438 | 1866 (24) | 719 | 1621 | 1042 | 1216 | 782 |
| 31–50 | 2288 | 2333 (30) | 1445 | 1948 (50) | 2373 | 1692 | 1047 | 1269 | 786 | |
| 51–70 | 2420 | 2467 (28) | 1373 | 2059 (12) | 585 | 1788 | 995 | 1342 | 747 | |
| 71+ | 1556 | 2525 (39) | 1519 | 2108 (29) | 1144 | 1831 | 1101 | 1374 | 826 |
1 SD for current mean sodium intake and scenario A (reformulation) was calculated using SE estimations.
2SD estimation for scenario B and C assumed to represent the same proportion (%) of the mean as in the current mean sodium intake (CCHS-Nutrition 2015).
3Approximately a 17%, 28% and 46% mean sodium intake reduction from current intake levels would be needed to meet the sodium intake recommended levels for adults in scenario A, B and C, respectively.
Data sources: Baseline scenario sodium mean intake: CCHS-Nutrition 2015 and FLIP 2017; Reformulation scenario: CCHS-Nutrition 2015 and FLIP 2017; Population demographics and mortality data 2019: Statistics Canada CANSIM tables.
Note: Sodium intake and SD data for PRIME were converted into Salt (g) using the following formula: Salt (g) = Sodium (mg)* 2.5/1000 mg.