Health concerns raised over children’s high sodium intake

It’s no secret that most Australians eat too much salt, but concerns over children’s health have been raised with new research showing that many children eat as much salt as adults.

Professor Caryl Nowson found that, in a sample of 238 children aged 5 to 13 years, seven in 10 exceeded the recommended upper limit for sodium. Nowson says children are eating on average six grams of salt a day - four times more than they need. High salt intake can cause high blood pressure, which is a factor in serious conditions like heart disease and stroke.

“A hot dog alone provides about 65% of an eight-year-old’s maximum daily salt limit,” Nowson said. “And a takeaway cheeseburger contributes around half the upper limit of salt.”

But high blood pressure isn’t the only concern: Nowson says high salt intake may contribute to obesity, as it increases thirst which may lead to consumption of calorie-rich sugary drinks.

However, Australian children’s daily salt intake could be reduced by up to 20% by applying internationally recognised salt targets to Australian foods.

“Bringing in clear limits on the amount of salt that is acceptable in manufactured foods would be a step towards a healthier generation of Australians,” Nowson said.

While she acknowledges that the Federal Government’s Food and Health Dialogue has recommended a reduction in salt in some food categories, Nowson says progress has been slow.

“Sodium targets have been established in Australia for only six food categories so far. This falls short of other countries, such as the United Kingdom, America and Canada, where targets have been set for more than 80 food types,” said Nowson.

She urged the government to educate parents and children on the dangers of a high-sodium diet.

Professor Nowson will present her findings at the International Congress of Dietetics in Sydney this week.