A new study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nine in 10 American kids are consuming more than enough salt daily.
Researchers reviewed the surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010 involving 2,000 school-aged children. The recommended sodium intake is 2,300 mg per day, but 90 percent of the children consumed an average of 3,300 mg per day.
The results of the study showed that 65 percent of the sodium came from processed foods such as pizzas, sandwiches, pastas, cheese, and other salty snacks like potato chips, tacos, bread and soup. Among meals, dinner is the largest source of sodium, which accounts to almost half of the daily consumption, Reuters reported.
"Most sodium is from processed and restaurant food, not the salt shaker," CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a statement. "Reducing sodium intake will help our children avoid tragic and expensive health problems."
Further analysis showed that fast foods and pizza stores account to 13 percent of the sodium source while school meals are at 9 percent. The U.S. Department of Agriculture committed to reducing the salt in school meals by up to 50 percent while food giants such as Taco Bell promised to cut their salt by 20 percent.
CDC Deputy Principal Director Ileana Arias warned that too much salt is already affecting the children's health.
"One in six children already has raised blood pressure, which can result in high blood pressure in adulthood, as we know a major cause of heart disease and stroke," Arias said to WebMD News. "This is incredibly concerning to us."
She also added that even if a food does not taste salty, some of them have high amounts of salt and constant exposure to these foods affects the children's dietary habits. Parents can control this by reading the nutrition labels of the processed foods and asking for information from the restaurants where they order food. Introducing children to fruits and vegetables can also significantly reduce their salt intake.
