Salt Intake and Your Kids
A study by the Journal of Human Hypertension reports that children as young as four are eating so much salt it is putting their health at risk by raising blood pressure. The average four year old child ate 4.7g a day, which is well above the 2-3g recommended intake for this age group.
The British study involved 4-18 year olds (2,127 in total). Participants were asked to keep a diary of their eating and drinking throughout, and blood pressure results were also recorded. The study reported that for very extra gram of salt consumed by the children, it was related to a rise in systolic blood pressure of 0.44mmHg.
(This study was part of an audit for the Department of Health called the National Diet and Nutrition Survey)
What are some of the problems associated with consuming too much salt?
- High blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing heart disease
- Fluid retention
- Kidney stones
What can parents do about this?
We should all be checking our food labels carefully, to assess how they match up with government recommendations. Particularly if you have children, try to get into the habit of checking food labels for the hidden salt in foods. Often, we don’t take time to check labels, particularly on those foods we’ve been eating for years, and so you may discover that you’re consuming unhealthy foods, without realising it.
We should take particular care with foods such as breakfast cereals, and snack products like crisps, as these are very often the culprits. Opt for the lower salt versions where possible.
What to look out for on food labels:
- A lot of salt would be 1.25g per 100g
- A lot of sodium would be 0.5g per 100g
- A little salt would be 0.25g per 100g
- A little sodium would be 0.1g per 100g
Salt recommendations
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommend a daily maximum for salt intake of:
- 0-6 months less than 1g
- 7-12 months 1g
- 1-3 years 2g
- 4-6 years 3g
- 7-10 years 5g
- 11-14 years 6g
- Adults 6g
Obviously it will be difficult for some parents to cut back on certain foods, particularly when kids have become accustomed to eating them, however this study proves the seriousness of the matter, and high salty foods should be kept to an occasional treat, not an everyday necessity.
You may also want to check out the articles listed below for further tips:
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