CHICAGO — While there is general concern among consumers about how much sodium they consume, there is a gap between consumers’ concerns about the amount of sodium in their diets and their consumption of low-sodium and sodium-free foods, according to the NPD Group.

“In my 30 years of observing Americans eating behaviors, there is often a gap between what consumers say and what they do,” said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst at The NPD Group and author of Eating Patterns in America. “It’s easier to aspire to a positive behavior than to actually do it.”

The level of sodium concern is not as high as it was two decades ago, but concern has risen in recent years while the number of consumers eating low-sodium/sodium-free foods has steadily decreased.

While 27% of consumers are concerned about salt, there is only an average of 24 eatings annually of low salt/sodium free products among the population.