More than 90% of children in the US, aged 6-18 years, eat more sodium than recommended, putting them at risk for developing high blood pressure and heart disease later in life, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs report.
The report provides the most recent data detailing how much sodium school-age children eat and where it comes from.
Mary Edmonds Cogswell, senior scientist with CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, tells Food News International that food manufacturers, school cafeterias, caregivers can do their part to encourage children to consume more fruit and vegetables and less salty foods.
FNI: How can the report enable food manufacturers to produce healthier products for children in the US?
Cogswell: The majority of sodium found in children’s diets is already in the food before it is bought or ordered at grocery stores, school cafeterias or restaurants.
Using the most recent national data, CDC’s report reveals that more than 90% of school-aged children nationwide eat too much sodium – and that is before salt is even added at the table.
It also identifies the top sources of sodium in children’s diets.
By understanding those sources in children’s diets, food manufacturers can provide more options that are lower in sodium – giving parents and caregivers the power to make healthier choices for their families.
Food manufacturers can also make gradual reductions in sodium added to foods sold and served, and replace sodium with alternatives such as spices, herbs and vegetables.
FNI: What have the food manufacturers done that have encouraged children to consume less sodium?
Cogswell: Some food manufacturers have already begun taking steps to lower sodium.
For example, ConAgra recently announced they have reduced sodium across their portfolio by 20%.
Last year, Nestle pledged to reduce salt in in hundreds of products, including ready meals, noodles and recipe mixes, by at least 10% over the next three years.
In addition, General Mills reported efforts to reduce sodium by an average of 20% across its top 10 categories by 2015.
This will impact about 40% of the company’s US retail portfolio, encompassing products ranging from snacks to soups to side dishes.
Meanwhile, Walmart is working to reduce sodium by 25% in thousands of everyday packaged food items by 2015.
It estimates that if these reformulations were adopted by the entire grocery industry, adults in the US would consume approximately 47 million fewer pounds of sodium annually.
FNI:What synergies can public bodies and food manufacturers work on to encourage children to consume less salt?
Cogswell: With processed and restaurant foods providing the majority of sodium in US children’s diets, it will take a collective effort – parents and caregivers, schools, communities, and places that sell, make or serve food – to make a difference and ensure healthier options.
For example, parents can model and create habits for healthy eating by choosing a diet rich in fruits and vegetables without added salt and checking nutrition labels on products in search of the lowest sodium options.
They can also incorporate healthy recipes at home, such as those featured on the Million Hearts Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Resource Center.
Schools and school districts can implement food purchasing policies and standards that reduce sodium in foods and put healthier alternatives in vending machines, school stores and cafeterias.
They can also strive to meet or exceed the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Nutrition Standards for foods served during the school day.
Food manufacturers and restaurants can support efforts to gradually lower sodium over time and grocers and restaurants can make lower sodium foods more visible through displays and promotions.
FNI: How effective is the use of salt replacers and spices in foods to encourage children to consume less salt?
Cogswell: The food industry has shared with us that herbs, spices and even citrus can help season dishes and reduce the amount of added salt.
Research has found that gradual sodium reductions in the food supply may not be noticeable to consumers.
In addition, it does not take long for taste buds to adjust to less salt.
Consuming less sodium may decrease a child’s preference for salt or sodium and lead to reduced intake – reducing their risk for high blood pressure.
FNI: What are the challenges for children to consume more fruit and vegetables, when snacks and ready meals that are high in sodium are readily consumed by them?
Cogswell: This is a significant challenge, although recent CDC data indicate that fruit intake in children actually increased between 2003 and 2010.
Unfortunately, the report also found that children eat less fruit as they get older, and the amount of vegetables they eat did not change during this time.
We know from previous research, six in 10 youth still do not eat enough fruit, and nine in 10 children do not consume enough vegetables.
State and local officials can help childcare providers and schools reduce fruit and vegetable purchasing costs and develop farm-to-preschool initiatives.
Schools can train food preparation staff to make fruit and vegetables more appealing and accessible.
Parents can provide fruit and vegetables for snacks, instead of higher-sodium options and include their children when shopping for, growing and preparing fruits and vegetables.
CDC research shows children eat sodium at every meal, from every setting, and from most types of foods.
In fact, more than 40% of children’s sodium intake comes from 10 types of foods.
These foods are not necessarily high in sodium, but because they are eaten so frequently, they become major sources in the diet.
Gradual reductions of sodium in the food supply can help overcome this challenge and make sodium reduction easier for children and parents.
Eating too much sodium can set children up for high blood pressure now and health problems later.
We know that eating habits begin in childhood so the time to act is now.
