A little dash will do, but having too much salt in their diet puts kids at risk for developing high blood pressure and heart disease later in life. That’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out in a new Vital Signs report. The report finds more than 90 percent of children in the U.S., ages 6 – 18, eat more sodium than recommended.
CDC researchers determined more than 40 percent of sodium eaten by school-age children comes from the 10 foods they eat most often: pizza, bread and rolls, lunch meat, savory snacks, sandwiches, cheese, chicken patties/nuggets/tenders, pasta, Mexican food and soups. The findings note children consume an average of 3,300 mg of sodium a day before salt is added at the table. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend everyone, including children, eat less than 2,300 mg per day total.
To help reduce the amount of sodium children consume daily, the CDC encourages parents to provide more low-sodium options like fruits and vegetables without added salt, air popped popcorn and unsalted nuts. Parents also can cook more meals at home using spices, herbs, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice to season foods, and keep fast foods and restaurant meals to an occasional treat.
