ATLANTA — More than two of three adults are in population groups that should consume no more than 1,500 mg per day of sodium, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. The groups include people with high-blood pressure, blacks and people more than 40 years old.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults in general should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

The C.D.C. study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and appeared in the C.D.C.’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The study showed the average intake of sodium for persons in the United States age 2 and older was 3,436 mg per day.

"It’s important for people to eat less salt," said Dr. Darwin R. Labarthe, M.D., Ph.D., director of the C.D.C.’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. "People who adopt a heart healthy pattern that includes a diet low in sodium and rich in potassium and calcium can improve their blood pressure."

He said the C.D.C., along with other government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, will work with food manufacturers and chain restaurants to reduce sodium levels in the food supply.

To learn more about the C.D.C. report, visit http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/59128.aspx.

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