CHICAGO (AP)
-- American children eat as much salt as adults - about 1,000 milligrams
too much, or the same amount as in just one Big Mac. Extra salt is
linked with higher blood pressure, even in kids, but government research
says those who are overweight and obese may be most vulnerable to its
effects.
The new findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Previous research has shown similar results in adults but studies on salt, weight and blood pressure are scarce in children.
The
CDC researchers looked at data on 6,200 kids aged 8 to 18 involved in
2003-08 national health surveys. The children were asked twice over
several days to detail all foods they'd eaten the previous day; the
researchers calculated salt intake from their answers.
Overall, 15 percent had either high blood pressure or slightly elevated blood pressure called prehypertension.
Those
who ate the most salt faced double the risk of having elevated blood
pressure, compared with those who ate few salty foods. But among
overweight or obese kids, the risk was more than triple.
The
recommended daily salt or sodium intake for kids and adults is no more
than 1 teaspoon daily, or about 2,300 milligrams. On average, study kids
ate 3,300 milligrams daily.
CDC researcher
Quanhe (SHWAH'-nuh) Yang says it's unclear why heavier kids would be
more sensitive to salt but it could be due to obesity-related hormone
changes. The results raise concerns because studies have shown that
elevated blood pressure in childhood, even just prehypertension, can
lead to full-fledged high blood pressure in adulthood and potentially
premature heart disease.
Prehypertension and high blood pressure in children younger than 17 depend on age, height and gender.
In
those 18 and up, readings between 120 over 80 and 140 over 90 are
prehypertension; 140 over 90 and higher is high blood pressure.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
