A SENATE RESOLUTION creating awareness about the benefits of eliminating excessive dietary sodium intake and related supporting measures aimed at decreasing the rates of hypertension, heart DISEASE, and stroke in north carolina.
Whereas, heart disease and stroke are the second and fourth leading causes of death in North Carolina; and high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a major and modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke, as well as a major contributor to adult disability; and
Whereas, high blood pressure makes individuals three times more likely to die from heart disease and four times more likely to die from a stroke; and
Whereas, excess dietary sodium consumption has been linked to high blood pressure and increased risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, osteoporosis, gastric cancer, eye disease, and diabetes complications; and
Whereas, the average daily sodium intake for Americans age two years and older is more than 3,400 milligrams per day and is derived mostly from packaged foods, processed foods, and restaurant foods, including fast food restaurants; and a 25% reduction in the amount of sodium contained in these foods could result in an 11% reduction in the average daily sodium intake in the United States; and
Whereas, the American Heart Association recommends for all Americans less than 1,500 milligrams of dietary sodium intake per day and advocates for a gradual step‑wise reduction in daily dietary sodium consumption among Americans in order to achieve this recommendation by 2020; and
Whereas, in 2011, 32.4% of North Carolina adults recalled being informed they had high blood pressure and among this population, 83.8% reported taking medication for high blood pressure, 72.3% reported being advised by a physician or health professional to reduce the amount of salt in their diet to help lower or control their high blood pressure, and 77.6% reported taking steps to reduce their daily dietary sodium intake; and
Whereas, reducing the average daily sodium consumption by 1,200 milligrams per day could save the United States up to an estimated $24,000,000,000 per year in health care costs, reduce the annual number of new cases of stroke by up to 66,000, and reduce the number of first heart attacks by up to 99,000; and
Whereas, reducing the average daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day could eliminate up to 11,000,000 cases of hypertension in the United States and save up to an estimated $18,000,000,000 in direct health care costs; and moving to an average daily sodium intake of 1,500 milligrams per day could result in an overall 25.6% reduction in the prevalence of high blood pressure, achieving up to $26,200,000,000 in direct health care costs; and
Whereas, the Justus‑Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force in its 2012‑2017 North Carolina Plan for the Prevention and Management of Heart Disease and Stroke recommends reducing by 20% the average daily consumption of dietary sodium among adult North Carolinians by 2017; and
Whereas, the Justus‑Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force and its many partners support North Carolina's efforts to address hypertension in part through efforts to ensure that foods purchased, prepared, and provided for the State's citizens meet science‑based dietary guidelines for Americans; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
SECTION 1.  The Senate supports measures aimed at decreasing heart disease and stroke in North Carolina and encourages the State's residents, food manufacturers and suppliers, and food service operations to (i) be aware of the dangers of excessive dietary sodium consumption and (ii) in combination with other healthful practices, seek and provide healthy options to support a gradual reduction in the amount of dietary sodium consumed and provided through foods and beverages.
SECTION 2.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.