Overview

• The average U.S. adult consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium daily, well above the American Heart Association’s 2,300 mg recommendation.
• While pizza, soups and chicken rank among the top sodium sources for all groups, Asian Americans derive over 14% of their intake from soy-based condiments and fried rice, and Mexican Americans from traditional mixed dishes like burritos and tacos.
• Reassessing the assumption that rice is always salted cuts estimated sodium intake for Asian American adults by roughly 325 mg per day and highlights their higher use of salt during cooking versus at the table.
• Black adults report the highest rates of physician advice to reduce sodium and the greatest attempts to cut salt, yet under 4% of U.S. adults overall use low-sodium salt substitutes.
• Researchers warn that effective sodium-reduction strategies must account for these diverse dietary patterns to lower hypertension and cardiovascular risk.