CSPI Urges Adoption of New York City Sodium Labeling Proposal

Statement of CSPI President Michael F. Jacobson

July 29, 2015

Excess sodium in the diet, much of which comes from restaurant food, promotes hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. The Center for Science in the Public Interest strongly supports New York City’s ground-breaking proposal to require warning icons on chain restaurant menus next to items that have a teaspoon or more of salt.

Few if any of us would choose to put an entire teaspoon of salt on a given meal. If a restaurant does that for us—supplying an entire day’s worth of sodium on one plate—consumers have a right to know. Besides giving consumers the freedom to choose healthier options, this measure should inspire restaurant chains to offer a wider variety of items lower in sodium. Getting trans fat out of restaurant food and putting calories on menus were controversial ideas before New York showed the rest of the country it could be done. The sodium warning proposal at issue today will save the lives of New Yorkers and prompt other jurisdictions to adopt similar life-saving measures.