Advice on salt, hidden in an array of foods, gets specific

NEW YORK — It can be hidden in bread, pizza, soup and other packaged foods and restaurant meals. A report released Tuesday by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine ties the recommended limit on sodium to a reduced risk of chronic disease. The report, which is expected to serve as a guide for policymakers, says the updated guidance is meant to also convey that cutting back on salt can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, even if people are still above the recommended limit of 2,300 mg a day for most adults. Previously, the recommended limit was based on a “tolerable upper intake level,” a threshold experts use to indicate a variety of potential bad effects. It’s the first dietary recommendation from the National Academies for the new category of reduced chronic disease risk, according to the report, but other nutrients may be similarly re-evaluated.