February 8, 2011 – Health Canada has unexpectedly decided to end the activities of the Sodium Working Group responsible for ensuring that industry is reducing the salt in its processed foods. A decision that jeopardizes the implementation of a strategy to reduce the excessive salt consumption of Canadians, fear specialists.
“The dissolution of the task force leads me to question the government’s seriousness in really wanting to reduce sodium, which is recognized as harmful to the health of Canadians,” laments Bill Jeffery, national coordinator of the Center for Science in the Public Interest ( CSIP)1 and member of the late working group.
The Sodium Working Group was created in 2007. Its purpose? Develop, implement and supervise a national strategy for reducing salt consumption, a major risk factor for hypertension and related diseases (stroke, heart attack, etc.)
Bill Jeffery
A report containing a series of recommendations was submitted in July to the Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq. He proposed an annual reduction of 5% in sodium consumption until 2016 to reach an average consumption of 2300 mg. He also advocated a voluntary approach, that is to say non-binding for the agri-food industry.
Although denounced by some experts, the voluntary approach was a consensus in the working group. But the door was open to regulations to force the industry’s hand if it delayed in implementing the recommendations.
“Our mandate provided for us to oversee the implementation of the strategy for the next 5 years in order to monitor its effectiveness,” recalls Bill Jeffery.
A committee closer to the industry?
However, the government decided in December to end the work of the task force. The implementation of a national strategy will now go through Health Canada’s Food Regulatory Advisory Committee, whose members would be closer to the agri-food industry, according to Jeffery.
“What is worrying is that not only has the group been disbanded, but the Minister has remained silent on the future of our recommendations. This suggests that the Ministry is not on the same page as the group’s experts, ”he continues.
“This decision shows the government’s disinterest on the sodium issue and it is very disappointing. This government seems ideologically uncomfortable with the idea of using public health policies to regulate the industry, ”says Dr.r Andrew Pipe of the Ottawa Heart Institute.
Dr Andrew Pipe
Another source of concern, the working group proposed to reduce sodium in certain categories of foods. The government is now advocating a piecewise sodium reduction in processed foods based on their weighted average sales.
However, this information relates to commercial information of a proprietary and non-public nature. “This approach is not very transparent and does not offer real means to verify the real efforts of companies”, adds the Dr Smoking pipe.
“It’s a step backwards. Companies would be free to reduce sodium in one product and maintain it, or even increase it, in others to reach an average in line with a target, ”he laments.
Health Canada did not wish to explain its decision to end the activities of the sodium working group. By e-mail, a spokesperson indicated that the federal body will continue to consult with these ex-members during the implementation of the strategy.
The advisory committee will be consulted “as needed” on various aspects of the sodium reduction strategy, such as food supply, research, monitoring and evaluation.
Louis Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
1. CSIP is an independent Canada-US group that advocates for healthier, less processed foods.
