Reducing Sodium in the County of Los Angeles

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to determine facilitators and barriers of a proposed food procurement policy in Los Angeles County. The proposed policy would require food purchasers, distributors, and vendors of food service to meet specified nutrition standards, including limits on sodium content. During stakeholder interviews, the HIA found 3 key facilitators: an organization's authority to impose nutrition standards, an organization's desire to provide nutritious food, and the opportunity to build on existing nutrition policies. The HIA also identified several barriers, including costs and availability of low-sodium foods and existing multi-year provider contracts that are difficult to change. The HIA recommended that further research be conducted in jurisdictions that have successfully implemented food procurement policies and to quantify their long-term health and economic effects on the targeted population.