WASHINGTON – The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not alter the recommendation for the amount of sodium consumers should intake on average per day. The D.G.A. committee left its overall recommendation at 2,300 mg per day and highlighted that people 51 and older, those of any age group who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease reduce their consumption to 1,500 mg per day.

The only difference between the 2005 and 2010 recommendations is the 2010 D.G.A.s define the 2005 recommendation of “middle-age and older adults” to “people 51 and older.”

But in the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010” final report, the authors noted that “Virtually all Americans consume more sodium than they need. The estimated average intake of sodium for all Americans ages 2 years and older is approximately 3,400 mg per day.”

The D.G.A. made four recommendations people may follow to reduce sodium intake. The recommendations included reading the Nutrition Facts label; consuming more fresh foods and fewer processed foods; eating more home-prepared foods, where there is more control over how much sodium is added; and, when eating at restaurants, asking that salt not be added to your food or ordering lower sodium options off the menu, if they are available.