HHS HealthBeat (November 21, 2012)

Over-salted children

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Like Mom and Dad, kids may wind up with high blood pressure because of what they eat. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at data on sodium – such as in salt – for about 6,200 8- to 18-year-olds.

Researcher Mary Cogswell:

“Just making simple choices about the bread and cheese could save up to 400 milligrams of sodium in that bologna and cheese sandwich.”

Something similar happens in adults, and it can raise adults’ risks of heart disease and stroke. Cogswell says high sodium levels in kids can set them up for the same problems as they grow older.  She says meals out and processed food are where most of the sodium comes from.

The study is in the journal Pediatrics.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 23, 2012