If everyone in your state reduced their sodium consumption by one-half a teaspoon, how much money could be saved?
The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s (CSPI) new analysis of potential health care costs savings to be achieved by reducing sodium in the American diet shows annual savings ranging from $36 million for Wyoming to $2.4 billion for California.
Americans currently consume about 3,500 milligrams of sodium per day—that’s about a teaspoon and a half of salt. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee calls for a reduction to 2,300 milligrams a day. Excess sodium consumption can boost blood pressure, potentially leading to hypertension.
The national health care costs for treating hypertension are enormous: Direct medical spending to treat hypertension totaled $43 billion in 2010, with almost one-half of that total in the form of prescription medications, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Previous research has estimated national medical savings ranging from $10 billion to $24 billion with a reduction of 1,200 milligrams in sodium intake per day (about one-half of a teaspoon of salt), according to the analysis.
CSPI’s analysis adjusted for inflation and population growth to determine the state-by-state savings in health care costs that could be achieved as a result of the recommended sodium reduction.
Four states stand to save more than $1 billion a year:
- $2.4 billion for California
- $1.6 billion for Texas
- $1.2 billion for Florida
- $1.2 billion for New York
Eight other states would potentially save between $500 million and $1 billion:
- $787 million for Illinois
- $782 million for Pennsylvania
- $709 million for Ohio
- $617 million for Georgia
- $608 million for North Carolina
- $606 million for Michigan
- $546 million for New Jersey
- $509 million for Virginia
The findings echo a call from the Institute of Medicine’s 2010 report that asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce sodium in the food supply in a gradual manner.
The AMA’s Improving Health Outcomes initiative seeks to address heart disease by reducing the incidence of uncontrolled hypertension, in part by advocating for improved dietary guidelines for Americans. The AMA sent a letter last month in support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s 2015 dietary guidelines, which stress consumption of whole foods, reduced consumption of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages, and accessibility of healthy foods and beverages.
Physicians can take action to improve health outcomes and lower costs associated with high blood pressure by taking practical steps with their patients. Start with these resources:
- Read the three questions you should ask patients when measuring their blood pressure.
- Hear what other physicians are doing to control hypertension in their practices.
- See how you can help patients manage blood pressure outside of office visits.
