Research shows kids' food still full of salt
28th January 2008
New research published today (28th January 2008) by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) shows that many foods eaten by UK children still contain large amounts of salt, in some cases more than half the daily maximum limit for a 6 year old in a single serving. Research carried out with Netmums, a leading parenting website, also shows that many parents are confused about which foods contain salt.
To mark Salt Awareness Week 2008, CASH calls on parents to check labels carefully and stop buying very salty foods for their children. The charity also asks the manufacturers, yet again, to lower the amount of salt they put into children's foods, and provide clear salt labelling to help parents make informed choices.
According to the UK Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, four to six year-olds should eat no more than 3g of salt a day, half the adult limit. One to three year-olds should have no more than 2g a day. And yet the CASH research found savoury foods, eaten regularly by children, still on sale in January 2008 with over 1g of salt per serving, which is a third of a six year-old's daily maximum limit and half the daily salt limit for a three year-old. The research also revealed a number of sweet foods that parents may not realise contain any salt at all.
Click here for the full press release including seom high salt products
Click here for the full survey (excel document)
Click here for the full survey (word document)
We only surveyed some foods and recommend you check labels before you buy. If you buy one high salt item such as baked beans then swap other high salt items such as sausages and burgers for a grilled chicken breast. Click here here for further information on salt and children..