US Children Consume Too Much Sodium

03 Nov 2016 --- American children are consuming sodium at levels that far exceed the daily recommended limit, according to a new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The report also claims that a high sodium intake from a variety of foods makes children vulnerable to heart disease later in life, with taste preferences for high sodium foods formed as children following individuals into adulthood.

“Sodium reduction is considered a key public health strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases nationwide and this study is the latest in ongoing CDC efforts to monitor U.S. sodium intake,” explains lead author Zerleen S. Quader, MPH, a data analyst with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.

“We already know that nearly all Americans regardless of age, race, and gender consume more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet and the excess intake is of great concern among particular youths.”

Using data from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC researchers looked at the eating habits of 2,142 children between the ages of 6 and 18 years.

They found that the average sodium intake for kids was 3,256 milligrams per day, not including any salt added at the table. The recommended intake for children varies from 1,900 mg/day to 2,300 mg/day depending on age.

Nearly 90% of the children surveyed exceeded the upper level of sodium recommended for their age group and previous evidence suggests that one in nine children ages 8-17 years already has blood pressure above the normal range for their age, sex, and height, which increases their risk of high blood pressure as adults.

The study also found that high levels of sodium were being consumed throughout the day and from a variety of different sources. For example, they found 39% of sodium was consumed at dinner, 31% came from lunch, 16% from snacks, and 14% at breakfast.

Furthermore, researchers discovered that only 10 types of food made up almost 50% of kids’ sodium intake. These included pizza, Mexican mixed dishes, sandwiches (including burgers), breads, cold cuts, soups, savory snacks, cheese, plain milk, and poultry.

“With the exception of plain milk, which naturally contains sodium, the top ten food categories contributing to US school children’s sodium intake in 2011-2012 comprised foods in which sodium is added during processing or preparation,” said Quader.

“Sodium is consumed throughout the day from multiple foods and locations, highlighting the importance of sodium reduction across the US food supply.”

The researchers also recognize that it’s hard to pinpoint problem foods, since the sodium content of dishes can vary significantly according to how they are made and prepared.

“It’s surprising how much sodium content for the same food type can vary by product,” described Quader. “The best way to reduce sodium intake from these products is to check the Nutrition Facts panel on packages and look for no-salt-added or lower-sodium versions.

Researchers hope that this study can serve as a benchmark as more measures are put into place to reduce the amount of sodium kids consume.

“The results support the need to reduce sodium content across the US food supply rather than in a single type of food or venue,” concluded Quader.

“These data provide baseline information on sources of sodium intake among US school-aged children that can be used to monitor changes in the food supply over time.”