The feasibility of achieving low-sodium intake in diets that are also nutritious, low-cost, and have familiar meal components

OBJECTIVE: Given the importance of high sodium diets as a risk factor for disease burden (ranked 11(th) in importance in the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010), we aimed to determine the feasibility of low-sodium diets that were also low-cost, nutritious and (for some scenarios) included familiar meals. METHODS: The mathematical technique of "linear programming" was used to model eight optimized daily diets (some with uncertainty), including some diets that contained "familiar meals" for New Zealanders or were Mediterranean-, Asian- and Pacific-style diets. Data inputs included nutrients in foods, food prices and food wastage. FINDINGS: Using nutrient recommendations for men and a cost constraint of