NEW YORK (WPIX)—
After taking on smoking and sugary soft drinks, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now targeting one of America's favorite condiments: salt.As part of his latest health campaign, Bloomberg is urging New Yorkers to cut their salt intake and start comparing labels on their favorite foods.
The anti-salt campaign will head to the subway in new city ads for the next two months, the city's Health Department announced Tuesday.
Among the ads, one features a half-opened can of soup with a geyser of salt spewing from the top and forming a heap around the can with a startling message: "Excessive sodium can lead to heart attack and stroke."
According to health officials, sodium in salt is a major contributor to high blood pressure that could prompt an array of cardiovascular diseases ultimately leading to death. In New York City alone, 23,000 deaths are blamed on cardiovascular-related conditions.
The citywide campaign costs $370,000 partly paid by taxpayers and the federal government, a spokesperson for the department said.
