In the U.S. the American Heart Association recommends adults and children eat less than 1,500 mg of sodium, which is equal to 3.7 grams (a little less than a teaspoon) of salt.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 73 percent to 93 percent of U.S. children ages 1 to 18 consume too much sodium. The large amount of salt the children ate was seen despite a nationwide salt reduction program in the U.K., which is cutting the amount of salt major food companies include in supermarket and restaurant foods."While salt intake in children wasn't measured prior to the U.K.'s salt-reduction campaign, the salt intake in adults has fallen 15 percent in six years," he said. "So, that policy is working, but it's not working fast enough. We need to do more and the U.S. needs a similar program," as children eat the same brands of processed foods and fast foods in both countries, MacGregor said.Excessive salt consumption is one of the major factors contributing to high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Earlier studies have shown that kids with high sodium diets are about 40 percent more likely to have elevated blood pressure than kids who have lower sodium diets. MacGregor said the study was conducted because there is very little information on exactly how much salt kids eat and what salty foods they are eating, information he said is necessary before designing an effective salt-reduction plan for kids. "It is very difficult for parents to reduce children's salt intake unless they avoid packaged and restaurant foods and prepare each meal from scratch using fresh, natural ingredients," MacGregor said.



Source: Eurekalert