According to the popular nursery rhyme, "little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice", but according to the Caribbean Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (CANDi), many children may also be over-salted.
During the recent Caribbean Nutrition Day, CANDi President Shandera Smith said that while the medical community tries to encourage eating wholesome foods, there still remains a high consumption of processed foods, which are significantly high in sodium and which have become a popular dietary staple. These are foods that are heavily advertised, easily accessible, very acceptable and tasty.
"Salty foods taste good," said Smith.
While tasty, she said the excessive intake of these foods can cause serious health problems.
"Consensus Action on Salt and Health in an article 'How does salt affect children' states that it is well-known that a high salt intake is associated with high blood pressure in the adult population. There is now evidence to show that a high salt intake in children also influences blood pressure and may predispose an individual to the development of a number of diseases including high blood pressure; osteoporosis; and respiratory illnesses such asthma, stomach cancer and obesity. Furthermore, there is evidence that dietary habits in childhood and adolescence also influence eating patterns in later life."
Smith said across the Caribbean, practically every country's dietary guidelines encourage the limited use of sodium in the diet. No child, she said, should have to suffer with a disease or condition that is expected for older adults.
"They shouldn't have to worry about taking pills, or their childhood being interrupted by trips to the doctor for blood pressure management."
She said it is imperative that policy makers, food manufacturers, food marketers, retailers, lunch vendors and restauranteurs ensure that their food environments are safe from highly refined and processed foods and that healthier options are more accessible and affordable.
CANDi's president said it becomes necessary that parents and guardians, dietitians, nutritionists and teachers teach and guide children's dietary choices as research has shown that the choices children make will influence their choices through to adulthood.
Ways to reduce sodium in children's diet
As most children love cereal, Smith urges parents to opt to make their own cereal, rather than reaching for the boxed kind, as many boxed cereals tend to be high in sodium. If parents must purchase the boxed variety, Smith encourages parents to read the nutrition facts on the boxes and bags and choose cereals that have no more than five percent of the daily value for sodium. It's a rule that should also be applied to commercial waffle and pancake mixes.
For snacks, the nutritionist encourages snacking on fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grain crackers, muffins and cookies and trail mixes instead of chips, salted nuts, crackers and popcorn, French fries (restaurant prepared); processed cheese snacks; processed meats (like nuggets, hotdogs, sausages, bacon and ham); ready-made pasta dishes and sauce mixes, instant noodles and pizza.
When dining at restaurants, she said parents should always ask about the sodium content of various dishes -- especially the ones that children love.
Smith encouraged parents to teach children to make better snack and lunch choices, especially when at school, parties or wherever food is offered; lobby for fast food restaurants and other restaurants to prepare foods with less sodium; modify recipes to use less salt and not add salt to prepared food.
She said that salt shakers should be taken off the table at home, and she encouraged parents to use a variety of herbs and spices instead of adding copious amounts of salt. Parents, she said, should also show their children how to prepare their own soups, marinades, salad dressings and condiments, and encourage them to eat whole foods, reducing processed and refined foods as possible.
"We cannot afford to raise salty children," said Smith "Their lives depend on us and what we do for them now. Our children are our future so we need to ensure that they are as healthy as can be during childhood so they can become vibrant and productive adults," she said.
During the month of June, nutritionists and dietitians create an awareness of the importance of healthy eating and active living toward reducing the burden of disease among Caribbean communities.
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