Report warns kids’ diets under assault
DEAKIN University is searching for about 140 children to take part in an ongoing study about how much salt they consume.
Research so far has revealed that seven out of 10 children up to age 13 exceed the recommended daily intake, which can risk their long-term health.
Deakin nutrition professor Caryl Nowson said the results of the study would come as a shock to most parents.
‘‘The problem is that most of the salt children consume is hidden in processed food, such as bread, cheese and breakfast cereals, and it’s often difficult for parents to find healthier alternatives,’’ Prof Nowson said.
She warned parents that if the trend continued, children could be at risk of longterm problems such as high blood pressure, which can cause strokes and heart disease.
The study started in November, 2011, and has collected data from 360 students, but is ongoing and the university would like to increase the number of participants to about 500.
Dietician Karyn Green, from Corio Bay Health Group, said parents could easily reduce the amount of salt their children consume.
‘‘Using lemon juice, garlic and vinegar instead of salt to flavour food is a great place to start,’’ she said.
For parents who still want children to eat cheese, but reduce salt intake, Ms Green suggested other options.
‘‘Cheese muffins contain less salt than cheese sandwiches – this is because bread also contains salt.’’
She said fruit, yoghurt and carrots were much healthier than processed meats and takeaway food.
The study showed little difference in salt consumption between independent and government school students.
‘‘Previous studies show that children from lower socio- economic backgrounds consume more processed foods that are high in salt, so we expected to see lower salt intakes for independent school children because they generally come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, but this was not the case.’’
Anyone wishing to take part in the study should contact Manuela Rigo by emailing m.rigo@deakin.edu.au.