A new federal government report shows that nine out of 10 American kids are eating too much salt, raising their lifelong risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Current guidelines suggest that children eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. However, researchers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that on average, kids are eating 3,300 milligrams of sodium, and that’s not even accounting for salt added at the table.
“One in six children already has raised blood pressure, which can result in high blood pressure in adulthood, as we know a major cause of heart disease and stroke,” said CDC Deputy Principal Director Ileana Arias. “This is incredibly concerning to us.”
About 43% of the sodium in kids’ diets comes from the ten foods that they eat most often. These include: pizza, bread and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, savory snacks, cheese, sandwiches, pasta dishes, chicken patties and nuggets, Mexican dishes and soups. Arias warns that although some of these foods may not taste salty, they are top contributors because they have a high sodium content.
These habits will likely contribute to more salt intake in adulthood. “We know that the taste for salt is established through diet at a young age,” Arias said. “Not only are children eating too much sodium, they are establishing a high threshold or taste for salt beyond childhood.”
Unfortunately, taking the salt off the table is not the solution here since most of the foods come packed with sodium before they even reach the table. The best way to ensure your children’s health is to read nutrition labels to check for sodium levels. Making other healthier choices like serving fresh fruit and vegetables and cooking food at home that contains less salt will also help prevent this issue.
New national standards for school lunches should also help to stem the tide of too much salt. School cafeterias are expected to reduce the amount of salt in school meals by 25 to 50 percent by 2022. The USDA has taken the lead on this by reducing the salt in the foods they offer to schools.
The study authors drew their conclusions using data from more than 2,000 children who participated in the CDC’s 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
[Source: HealthDay]