New York City restaurants now indicate on their menus a warning on meals that have high sodium content.
The ruling, approved last September, took effect last Tuesday and will apply to chain restaurants that have 15 or more branches in the country and to food booths in ballparks and movie theaters, the New York Times reported.
On the menu, diners will now see an image of a black triangle with a salt shaker next to meals that have high salt content. The icon will serve as a warning that a food item contains over 2,300 milligrams of sodium, which is the recommended daily limit.
The public health policy is the latest pro-health move pushed by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Before him, Michael R. Bloomberg called for a ban on smoking; set limits on sodas and sugar-laden drinks; and also targeted food rich in trans fat.
The move aims at cutting down America's salt consumption. According to experts, most Americans consume more than the recommended daily limit, which raises the risk of hypertension and heart diseases.
Most of the time, food items from chain restaurants are top contributors to the country's high-salt consumption. New York City health commissioner Mary Bassett said that the label will serve as warning to consumers so they will be more aware of the salt content in the food they eat.
"When you see this warning label, you know that that item has more than the total amount of sodium that you should consume in a single day," Bassett said at a Monday news conference at Applebee's, Time Square, according to the Associated Press.
While the city aims for a healthier America, there are also groups who opposed the idea saying that New York has gone too far with its measures.
Last Monday, Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute trade group protested that New York City residents must fight against the city's ruling that breeds misconceptions about salt, the AP reported.
Politico also gathered that the Restaurant Association is planning to file a lawsuit against the health department over the ruling.
Meanwhile, chain restaurants that violate the ruling will be fined $200, which will not be collected until March 1, 2016.
