Eating out still risky when it comes to sodium in food

Richard Gibson

DES MOINES, Iowa — Americans trying to shake the salt habit aren’t getting much help when they go out to eat.

Despite repeated warnings by health experts about the consequences of over-salted diets, big fast food and casual dining restaurant chains either have made little apparent effort to reduce sodium in their food or simply don’t disclose the amounts.

One reason: There is little economic incentive to do so.

“Too many people still equate low salt with low taste,” said Dr. Lawrence Appel of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, an authority on hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Experts believe that many Americans consume twice the sodium they need to stay healthy. The government’s recommended limit is 2,300 milligrams, or about 1 teaspoon, a day. Blacks, older adults and children are advised to ingest less than that.

But some of the most popular items on restaurant menus make following that guidance difficult. For example, a Burger King Whopper-with-cheese combo, including a medium order of French fries and medium Diet Coke, has 2,060 milligrams of sodium. There are 2,330 milligrams in a KFC Famous Bowl with mashed potatoes and gravy. An order of baby back ribs with honey barbecue sauce at Chili’s Grill & Bar comes with 4,410 milligrams of sodium.

The seasoning heightens health problems related to what’s been called an epidemic of childhood obesity.

“The more calories [taken] in, the more salt in. There’s a direct relationship between obesity and high blood pressure,” said Dr. Jeffrey Cutler, a preventive medicine specialist at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a unit of the National Institutes of Health.

Last June, the American Medical Association called for a 50 percent cut in the sodium in fast food and other restaurant fare. The physicians’ organization also said it wanted to talk with the Food and Drug Administration about the issue, but 10 months have passed without such a meeting.

FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said this week that one is being arranged. Meanwhile, he said, the agency is “looking at ways to get input from all stakeholders on what actions we might take” to promote reduced salt consumption.

The restaurant industry is on record as opposing mandates. Sheila Weiss, director of nutrition policy for the National Restaurant Association, called sodium reduction an “important issue” and said restaurateurs have been working with food suppliers on such items as salad dressings, sauces and soups.

“This isn’t something our members are taking lightly,” Weiss said.

Even so, diners at many of the country’s biggest chains haven’t a clue as to how much sodium they’re consuming.

Applebee’s International Inc., operator of the nation’s largest casual dining chain, is among those not disclosing salt levels, although spokesman Frank Ybarra said, “We will continue to listen to our guests as they tell us what type of additional information they want to have.”

Ruby Tuesday Inc. publishes online data on calories, fat, fiber and carbohydrates, but not for sodium. The Olive Garden and Red Lobster units of Darden Restaurants Inc. don’t disclose sodium content on their Web sites, nor does Cheesecake Factory Inc.

However, most fast food restaurants do.

McDonald’s Corp. recently told franchisees that it’s looking at reducing sodium in its popular Chicken McNuggets. But its growing emphasis on chicken as fast food fare has, in some cases, resulted in sandwiches that contain more sodium than their beef counterparts. For example, while a Big Mac hamburger comes with 1,040 milligrams of sodium, McDonald’s premium grilled chicken club sandwich has 1,720 milligrams — three-fourths of the recommended daily allowance for most adults. Crispy chicken versions are even saltier.

Other fast food chains say they’re analyzing their menus for possible nutritional enhancements. “We want to give moms and kids more options,” said Burger King spokesman Keva Silversmith.

Wendy’s International Inc. spokesman Bob Bertini said, “We continue to look for opportunities to further enhance the nutritional profile of the food we serve without sacrificing taste.”

Still, two recent Kids’ Meal additions — sandwiches featuring meat and cheese — contain more sodium than Wendy’s burger-based kids’ meals.

One longtime advocate for sodium reduction is the Washington-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has petitioned the FDA to address the issue. But CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson said, “Unless Congress gets in on the act, I don’t see a lot of voluntary progress from this administration.’

(Dow Jones Newswires/Associated Press)