Too much salt can threaten the young

Salt can lead to high blood pressure. Which is the leading stroke cause.

So, it's disturbing that that children consume too much salt:

About two-thirds of that sodium came from prepared or ready to eat “store foods,” 13 percent from fast food, 9 percent from school cafeterias and 5 percent from other restaurants, according to the report. More than 40 percent came from 10 food categories, headed by pizza and bread and including cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, tacos and soup.

“Some of these foods may not taste salty, but they are top contributors because they do have significant sodium content and children eat a lot of them,” said Dr. Ileana Arias, the deputy principal director of the CDC. “A poor diet in childhood can help lay the foundation for future health problems. And the fact that young kids and teens are consuming so much sodium these days and adopting increasingly bad dietary habits is certainly a cause for concern.”

This is particularly disturbing in light of the fact that one in six children already has elevated blood pressure, a risk for high blood pressure as adults and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke, she said.

We owe children better chances in avoiding strokes and heart disease.