CDC Study Finds Children Eating Too Much Salt, At Risk Of High Blood Pressure
By Dr. Brian McDonough
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added to the relatively scarce information about how much salt American kids eat -- and it's too much.
It seems the more we find out about diets and our children, the more we should be concerned. New information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that American children eat as much salt as adults. And it's a problem.
According to the study, based on research of 6,200 kids between the ages of 8-18, they're consuming about 1,000 milligrams too much.
Now, why is that a big deal? Well, essentially, it's associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. In fact, 15 percent in the study had either high blood pressure or slightly elevated blood pressure, called pre-hyper tension.
When children develop high blood pressure, it can cause even more long-term damage, because there's a longer period of time when the body has to get used to it and deal with it.
What is also says is we need to watch their diets more carefully. Obviously, control measures can be put into place, but most kids don't get diagnosed early enough.
For more information, read the study in the journal Pediatrics.
