The Shakedown on Sodium

We all need some salt to survive. But consuming too much sodium negatively affects our health, leading to more visits to the doctor, more absenteeism, and reduced productivity in the workplace.

Employers can help promote health by providing employees with lower-sodium foods. In addition, these efforts benefit business: employers can save money, and potentially increase revenue, by helping their employees eat less sodium. Though reducing sodium may seem financially and logistically challenging, businesses can use cost-effective strategies such as group purchasing to supply healthier foods. Employers that provide lower-sodium foods can reduce health care costs, increase productivity, and generate a positive public image.

Our webinars, talking points, and fact sheet explain the importance of reducing sodium for health, and provide businesses and public health professionals with the facts about consumer preferences, financial costs, and feasibility. Each resource provides real-world examples from businesses that have successfully reduced sodium in the foods they offer.

ChangeLab Solutions developedThe Shakedown On Sodium: Using Group Purchasing to Provide Lower-Sodium Foods to discuss how businesses, hospitals, and other institutions can use group purchasing to buy lower-sodium products at low prices. In addition, we created a companion resource, Sodium-Reduction Talking Points for Public Health, to provide quick responses to the perceived barriers employers identify in conversations about offering lower-sodium products.