When kids eat too much salty food, they will get thirsty easily, and what they turn to is soda-filled sugary drink instead of plain water. Several studies have shown a link between sugary soft drinks and obesity in children. This may explain why childhood obesity has become an epidemic that both developed and developing countries have found it difficult to handle.
British researchers at St George's University of London found that cutting back on the salt intake for kids might be a good way to cut the calories they consume. This is the findings of a study published on February 20, 2008 in an American Heart Association Journal. Using the diet data from Great Britain's National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the researchers looked at 1,688 British boys and girls, with ages between 4 and18 years old, over a 7-day period in 1997.
The researchers indicated that salt is 'a hidden factor in the obesity epidemic'. About 80 percent of salt actually comes from manufactured food and not from the saltshaker, which only contributed less than 10 to 15 percent.
As pointed out by a health expert, fast foods are just loaded with sodium, but processed foods are all very high in sodium.
Lower intake of salt can reduce the amount of soft drinks and therefore fewer calories consumed by kids. A modest reduction in salt could even help lower blood pressure. It is known that high blood pressure increases the risk of later-in-life heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
The researchers suggested that food manufacturers could reduce the salt gradually without even noticed by the public; a 10 to 20 percent reduction in salt can barely be detected. It is imperative for the food industry to make such a reduction because the study found that cutting in half the amount of salt British children consume (a decrease of about half a teaspoon a day) would lead to an average reduction of about 510 gm of sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week.
British researchers at St George's University of London found that cutting back on the salt intake for kids might be a good way to cut the calories they consume. This is the findings of a study published on February 20, 2008 in an American Heart Association Journal. Using the diet data from Great Britain's National Diet and Nutrition Survey, the researchers looked at 1,688 British boys and girls, with ages between 4 and18 years old, over a 7-day period in 1997.
The researchers indicated that salt is 'a hidden factor in the obesity epidemic'. About 80 percent of salt actually comes from manufactured food and not from the saltshaker, which only contributed less than 10 to 15 percent.
As pointed out by a health expert, fast foods are just loaded with sodium, but processed foods are all very high in sodium.
Lower intake of salt can reduce the amount of soft drinks and therefore fewer calories consumed by kids. A modest reduction in salt could even help lower blood pressure. It is known that high blood pressure increases the risk of later-in-life heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
The researchers suggested that food manufacturers could reduce the salt gradually without even noticed by the public; a 10 to 20 percent reduction in salt can barely be detected. It is imperative for the food industry to make such a reduction because the study found that cutting in half the amount of salt British children consume (a decrease of about half a teaspoon a day) would lead to an average reduction of about 510 gm of sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week.
No comments:
Post a Comment