ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will award a total of $1.9 million to five states and communities for sodium reduction efforts. Each funded project will support the implementation of at least one sodium reduction policy as well as evaluation activities.

The efforts may include working with restaurants and food service suppliers, grocery stores, schools, hospitals and government facilities. Also, media campaigns may help to raise awareness of sodium consumption. The C.D.C. will provide technical assistance.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults with high blood pressure, adults middle age and older and African Americans limit their sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day. All other adults should consume less than 2,300 mg per day. Studies show U.S. adults on average consume more than 3,400 mg of sodium per day.

“Sodium reduction is a public health imperative that would benefit everyone,” said Darwin R. Labarthe, director of the C.D.C.’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. “We must continue to build the public health capacity for reducing sodium consumption by working on strategies at the national, state and local levels.”

Grants awarded to states and communities include:

?California, working with Shasta county, $412,198,
?Kansas, working with Shawnee county, $412,197,
?Los Angeles county, $363,366,
?New York City, $412,195, and
?New York state, working with Brome and Schenectady counties, $325,000.