Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada: Sodium Working Group (Motion #39-10)

Moved by Garbutt, Proulx. Approved on September 16, 2010, by the Sudbury & District Board of Health.

Motion

WHEREAS the average sodium intake of Canadians is about 3400 mg per day which is more than double the recommended level and considerably higher than the Upper Limit of 2400 mg per day set by the Institute of Medicine; and

WHEREAS a significant body of evidence exists linking high sodium intakes to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and the leading preventable risk factor for death worldwide; and

WHEREAS the leading cause of death in Northern Ontario is heart disease; and

WHEREAS Boards of Health are mandated to lower the premature mortality and morbidity from preventable chronic diseases; and

WHEREAS the Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on Sodium Reduction (also referred to as the Sodium Working Group) provided recommendations to all levels of government, and other relevant stakeholders to slash the average Canadian’s daily sodium intake from 3400 mg to 2300 mg by 2016; and

WHEREAS the recommendations are based on a three-pronged approach that includes a voluntary cut of sodium levels in prepackaged and commercially prepared foods, education and  research, with monitoring and evaluation cutting across all prongs; and

WHEREAS about 77% of Canadians sodium intake is derived from prepackaged and commercially prepared foods rather than salt added at the table or in cooking;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health urge the federal Minister of Health to immediately act on the recommendations of the Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada (July 2010) and to facilitate the success of the strategy by developing a plan to monitor how well the strategy reduces Canadians’ sodium intakes and to adopt stronger measures if at the end of two years, the voluntary approach has failed.

FURTHER THAT copies of this motion be forwarded to the federal Ministers of Health, Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Chief Public Health Officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Members of Parliament for Sudbury and districts, Members of Provincial Parliament for Sudbury and districts, the Premier of Ontario, the provincial Ministers of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Promotion and Agriculture, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, as well as the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA), Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) and all Ontario Boards of Health.

This item was last modified on June 12, 2015