American children are consuming far too much salt, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The government agency stated 90 percent of young people in the United States, between the ages of six and 18, consume too much salt.
Sodium, consumed in the popular seasoning, can lead to high blood pressure, a condition seen in one out of every six children in the United States. Most sodium consumed by American children is taken in through processed foods.
"Lowering sodium in children's diets today can help prevent heart disease tomorrow, especially for those who are overweight. The taste for salt is established through diet at a young age. Parents and caregivers can help lower sodium by influencing the way foods are produced, sold, prepared, and served," CDC officials wrote in an announcement of the findings.
Officials for the CDC encourage parents to feed children healthy, low-sodium snacks like fruits and vegetables. They are also asking parents to consult nutrition labels to select foods for their children containing low concentrations of sodium.
"US children ages 6-18 years eat an average of about 3,300 [milligrams] mg of sodium a day before salt is added at the table. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that children eat less than 2,300 mg per day," CDC officials wrote in a statement.
African-American youth, or those experiencing hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes could be especially prone to the negative health effects of sodium. These children should be limited to 1,500 mg, according to the agency.
Dinner is the meal which provides children with their greatest amount of sodium - 39 percent of the daily total. Lunch was second, responsible for 30 percent of the element taken in each day. Around 15 percent of daily sodium was consumed at the breakfast table, while snacks accounted for the remaining 16 percent.
Teenagers consume more sodium, and a greater number of calories, than younger children, according to the study.
Foods loved by children, including pizza, bread, cold cuts, cheeseburgers and chips were the leading contributors to sodium intake in kids. The 10 foods consumed most often by American children contributed 43 percent of daily sodium to the diet of youth.
Nearly two-thirds of the element consumed by American children - 65 percent - came from processed foods sold in stores. Fast foods contributed 13 percent of the sodium recorded in the study, and nine percent came from school lunches served in cafeterias.
Some food companies are pledging to reduce the amount of salt in their products. Taco Bell has promised to reduce the amount of salt in their menu items by 20 percent. School cafeterias across the nation are expected to reduce sodium concentrations by between 25 and 50 percent by the year 2022.
