McDonald's has lowered the sodium content of its grilled chicken amid a slew of recent news reports about the dangers of a high-salt diet.

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada said Tuesday that its new children's Chicken Grilled Snack Wrap uses a sodium-reduced tortilla, chicken and ranch sauce.

The company estimates the snack has 530 milligrams of salt, about one-third less sodium than before.

While the chicken snack has been on the menu for about three years, it is now part of the restaurant's Happy Meal offerings for children.

The lower-sodium ingredients will also be used in other items, such as grilled chicken sandwiches, breakfast burritos and salads featuring chicken.

In the last few years, government health agencies around the world have started paying attention to the health risks posed by high sodium levels in food. Excess sodium can cause strokes and heart attacks.

Health Canada has formed a Working Group on Sodium Reduction, made up of representatives of the food manufacturing and food service industries, health-focused non-governmental organizations, the scientific community, consumer advocacy groups, medical professional organizations and government.

The department said it doesn't expect to see details of a national plan from the working group until the end of 2010.

In September, the Canadian Medical Association Journal called for urgent action on developing a sodium-reduction plan for Canada.