紐約要求餐廳菜單高鹽食物附上小鹽瓶標誌
A tiny saltshaker symbol that warns certain meals are high in sodium will start to appear on Tuesday on menus in chain restaurants in New York City, the first US city to take the step in an effort to combat heart disease and stroke.
12月1日起，紐約市所有連鎖餐廳的菜單上，高鈉食物都要附上一個小鹽瓶的標誌。紐約是全美第一個實行這項規定的城市，目的在於與心臟病和中風作鬥爭。
Any menu item containing more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium, the daily limit many nutritionists recommend and which equals about one teaspoon of salt, must display the emblem of a salt shaker in a black triangle.
菜單上鈉含量超過2300毫克的食物必須加上一個帶有鹽瓶的黑色三角形警告標誌。營養學家認爲，人均每日納攝取量應控制在2300毫克，差不多相當於一勺鹽。
The measure unanimously approved by the New York City Board of Health in September applies only to restaurants with at least 15 establishments across the US, and concession stands at some movie theaters and sports stadiums.
今年9月，紐約市衛生局全體一致通過此項規定。在全美各地擁有15家以上分店的餐廳以及一些影院和體育場館的小餐廳都將適用該規定。
"It's not hard to get 2.3 grams of sodium into your face," said Dr Howard Weintraub, co-director of NYU Langone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.
紐約大學心血管疾病預防中心主任霍華德·溫特勞布博士說：“人們在不知不覺中就攝入了超過2.3克的納元素。”
An eye-opener
食物含鹽量驚呆食客
The new menu labels may be an eye-opener for customers who flock to chains such as Chipotle and Subway, which are perceived to be more healthy. Until Tuesday, they may have been blissfully unaware of the sodium content of a Chipotle loaded chicken burrito (2,790 mg), Subway's foot-long (30.5 cm) spicy Italian sub (2,980 mg), TGI Friday's classic Buffalo wings (3,030 mg) or Applebee's grilled shrimp and spinach salad (2,990 mg).
在美國人眼中，“小辣椒”和“賽百味”連鎖餐廳相對於其它餐廳來說似乎更爲健康。對於常去這些餐廳的人來說，新的菜單警告標誌令人震驚。12月1日之前，他們還沉浸在美食的喜悅中，並沒有意識到：一份墨西哥雙層雞肉卷的鈉含量達2790毫克；賽百味1英尺（30.5釐米）長的意大利香辣三明治鈉含量爲2980毫克；“星期五餐廳”的經典烤雞翅鈉含量爲3030毫克；“阿普爾比”連鎖餐廳的烤蝦菠菜沙拉鈉含量爲2990毫克。
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in New York City, claiming nearly 17,000 lives in 2013, the Health Department said. It noted a "well-established connection" between sodium intake and high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
紐約市衛生部門表示，心血管疾病是導致紐約人死亡的最主要原因，2013年奪走了近1.7萬人的生命。衛生部還指出，納攝取量和高血壓之間“確定有聯繫”，高血壓是造成心臟病和中風的主要危險因素。
A 2010 study found New Yorkers consume more than 3,200 mg of sodium each day on average, with higher intake among blacks and Hispanics, the health department said.
衛生部門表示，2010年的一項研究發現，紐約人日均納攝取量超過3200毫克。其中，黑人和西班牙裔納攝取量更高。
Getting New Yorkers to start watching their sodium intake is a first step that health advocates hope will prompt other behavioral changes.
健康倡導者認爲，讓紐約人自覺控制自己的納攝取量還只是開始，他們希望以此促使人們出現其它的行爲變化。
"Things are not going to work out great if all you do is just not eat salt," Weintraub said. "But maybe, just maybe, they'll start to watch how much they eat, maybe they will get off the subway a stop earlier and walk, instead of taking the elevator, they will walk two flights, there will be some weight loss."
溫特勞布說：“如果只是不吃鹽的話，根本起不了什麼作用。但是也許，僅僅是也許，他們會開始關注自身對食鹽的攝取量；也許會在地鐵前一站下車，步行至目的地；也許會放棄搭乘電梯，自己爬兩層樓，減輕一點體重。”
The sodium warning label pressed by Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed a series of efforts by his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, including banning smoking in public places and requiring fast food joints to post calorie counts.
紐約現任市長爲比爾·白思豪，他頒佈高納食物警告標誌的規定與上一任紐約市長邁克爾·布隆伯格的部分舉措有相似之處。布隆伯格曾下令禁止在公共場合吸菸，並要求快餐店標明食物的卡路里含量。
