 CDC Home  Most Americans Consume Too Much Sodium  A salt filled
hot dog, pickle, and potato chips.  Most of the sodium we
consume is in the form of salt, and the vast majority of sodium
we consume is in processed and restaurant foods. Too much sodium
is bad for your health. It can increase your blood pressure and
your risk for a heart attack and stroke. Heart disease and
stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in both
men and women in the U.S. each year.     • You are 51 years of
age or older.   • You are African American.   • You have high
blood pressure.   • You have diabetes.   • You have chronic
kidney disease.   Most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged,
processed, store-bought, and restaurants foods. Only a small
amount comes from salt added during cooking and from being added
at the table, and most Americans have already exceeded their
daily limit of sodium before cooking or adding salt at the
table.  Most sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods.
The pie chart shows Proces