Question

Recent data show that Americans consume, on average, more than three times the recommended level of sodium per day in their food and beverages. High salt intake contributes to high blood pressure and its complications-stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and kidney failure. In fact, thousands of lives could be saved if sodium consumption were lowered in people with high blood pressure. Write a memo (i.e., a brief report) for the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services about what might be done to address concerns about the effect of high sodium intake on health.

Be sure your memo addresses the following:

1. How might we address this problem in the patient population using the medical model that a health care provider might use versus a population health model that a public health official might use?

2. How far can and should governments go in attempting to create a more healthful environment? Intrinsic to many population health policies is the specter of the so-called nanny state.

3. In this case, is it necessary for everyone to be exposed to lower sodium in their bread, in other common foods, and in restaurants, to protect people who have salt-sensitive illnesses?

4. Should manufacturers bear the costs of manufacturing different versions of food in order to protect the public's health?

5. Should manufacturers be required to manufacture healthier foods even if customers prefer the less-healthy versions?

6. Should manufacturers be liable if they don't manufacture healthier foods?

Answer 1

To: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

From: XYZ NAME

Date: ABC DATE

Subject: Concern regarding the high intake of sodium by the consumers

This memo is intended to kindly bring your attention to the sad fact that according to the recent study conducted in America, the shocking fact that most of the consumers are intaking sodium three times greater than the recommended amount in their foods and beverages which is quite disturbing to even think of. If this trend continues, many health issues like blood pressure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, kidney failure are going to backfire in its crucial form.

I cannot blame both the consumers as well as the manufacturers as here, no one is forcing anybody to buy a particular food. But there are indeed some steps to be taken by both the food manufacturers and consumers regarding this. When considering the case of consumers, they need to get well educated regarding the health risks while consuming a high level of salts in their daily life as this problem is plainly due to the blindness every consumer have regarding the danger side of sodium. According to me, everyone needs to get awareness regarding the aftereffect of sodium intake by showing them the medical facts and figures in a simplified way.It could be shown in public places like metro station, film theatre,parks, malls etc. While for the medical patients, I think an awareness program would work great by showing these simplified models regarding this matter.

When coming to the role of the manufacturers, I think every firm must produce products having low salt content where the usual consumers can add the salt if they feel like adding and the patient consumers can consume it by reducing the risk of high salt intake.And those who break the rule should be punished severely by imposing a heavy fines on them.A frequent audit must also be conducted on each factory outlet to check the amount of sodium included in the product.

In case of restaurants and hotels, a new system where the waiter needs to specifically ask each customer regarding the level of salt content they need by giving them a small awareness about the health issue.

One of the other important things to consider when implementing this new plan is to have a thorough survey being conducted after 6 months where the review regarding the consumers towards this newly implemented plan should be asked and according to the review of them, the manufacturers must decide whether to introduce the usual version of food along with the less salted food items. But until that, this rule would works the best. All manufacturers must not only look for profit but also the consumer's health to some extent. Consumer complaint councils should be introduced more in every corner of the place where the consumers (especially the patients can complain if the manufacturers didn't abide by these rules).

These are some of my recommendations to this crucial problem, I hope you would understand the situation and would do the needful actions as soon as possible.

Thank you.