The USDA recommends that everyone, including children, should limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day, or about one teaspoon of salt.
For “adults age 51 and older, African Americans of any age, and individuals with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease,” the guidelines recommend limiting sodium even further, to 1,500 mg a day.
To see where big contributors of sodium may be lurking in the American diet, the research team used data from nearly 6,000 adults over the age of 20 who participated in the 2009-2010 What We Eat in America survey, part of the annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
During in-person interviews, participants listed all the food and beverages they consumed during the entire previous day, including quantities.