New York is once again taking the national lead on a major public health issue -- this time becoming the first city in the country to require salt warnings on restaurant menus. NY1's Michael Herzenberg has the story filed the following report.

The New York City Board of Health voted Wednesday to require chain restaurants to post warning labels about items with high levels of salt.

"People will have information they need to make healthier choices. This is a great day for New York," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.

The rule will affect chains with at least 15 locations. 

This salt-shaker icon must be placed alongside any menu item with at least 2,300 milligrams of sodium—about a teaspoon, which is the recommended daily allowance. More than that can lead to high blood pressure, creating a risk for heart disease and stroke.  

"The evidence linking salt intake and sodium intake to cardiovascular illness is very strong," said the Board of Health's Deepthiman K. Gowda, MD, MP. 

"Cardio vascular disease, heart disease and stroke is responsible for one out of three deaths here in New York City," Bassett said.

The 40-piece chicken McNuggets and the hot and twisted personal pizza at pizza hut would have the icon.   

The Big Mac doesn't qualify it has just fewer than 1000 milligrams of sodium.

"I eat a lot of salt—a lot, a lot, a lot of salt," one New Yorker said.

Even salt lovers we spoke with say they like the change.

Although restaurant trade groups opposed the requirement as burdensome, saying expected federal labeling rules might require more changes later.

"This really represents to me the next step in allowing usable information in our community to make better health decisions," Gowda said.

Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city adopted a number of pioneering health policies—banning smoking in public places, requiring calorie counts on many menus and stopping restaurants from using trans-fats. Bloomberg's drive to limit the sale of large surgary drinks, however, was rejected by the courts.   

This is Mayor Bill de Blasio's first public health initiative regulating what we know about what we eat.  It goes into effect December 1.