Expert Says Nationwide Salt Reduction to Reduce Hypertension Is Short on Evidence. Government and industry efforts to cut the amount of salt in the American diet amount to a giant "national experiment" with no guarantee of success, one scientist is warning. Most public health experts were ecstatic last month when the FDA announced it would embark on a decade-long program to gradually scale back the amount of salt in restaurant and packaged foods. Those foods contribute more than 70% of the salt consumed by Americans, who also have high rates of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The cuts are intended to put a dent in what most public health experts see as America's national sodium overdose. According to the CDC, Americans consume an average of 3,436 milligrams of sodium per day, though dietary guidelines for adults suggest limits of 2,300 milligrams daily as a general recommendation and less than 1,500 milligrams daily for individuals who are 40 years of age or older, African-American, or have a history of high blood pressure.