Well, as you know, if we were free-grazing homo sapiens, we probably would require only between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day, but the nature of the food environment as it has evolved over the last 50 years has been such that we now have very significant increases in sodium intake. I do think it will require some period of time before we can adjust a population's palates to an appropriate level, but 2,300 milligrams is a very significant first step. While there are purists and idealists who could say our physiology is equipped to deal with much less than that, I think that would be to ignore reality. I think this is remarkably consistent with the kinds of recommendations that the World Health Organization has been proffering. I think it makes life appropriately easier for international food manufacturers. I'm not unsympathetic to their particular needs and their particular concerns, but it allows for more consistency across borders. If the kidneys and the hearts and the circulatory systems of English citizens are important, why aren't they just as important among Canadian customers of those same companies? So I think it is a reasonable first step.
On May 4th, 2010. See this statement in context.