Hypertension in toddlers blamed on salt
September 11th, 2007
High blood pressure is being diagnosed in children as young as 4, it was announced today. The problem is being blamed on high salt intake, a product ‘hidden’ in many popular foods aimed and children and teenagers.
The report, published in the Journal of Human Hypertension detailed worrying statistics such as the fact that the average 4-year old consumes around 4.7 grams of salt per day – almost double the recommended 2-3 grams. The results of such excess can result in an increase of 0.44mmHg (millimetres of mercury – the measurement used to evaluate blood pressure) per extra gram of salt consumed each day.
Health campaigners claim that even the amount of salt in baby food is too high, and the effects of the resulting vascular damage are fuelling the country’s obesity crisis. They are calling for a ‘salt revolution’, in which food manufacturers could do more to reduce salt content in food popular with children, as well as parents taking steps in cutting down the daily salt intake of their children.
