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As adults, we’re often warned to keep our salt intake under control. Most of us have far too much, and most comes from processed foods. High salt intake has been linked to raised blood pressure with its risk of heart attacks and strokes, kidney damage, and even autoimmune diseases. But children’s salt intake hasn’t been given as much attention.

Just under one in five children aged 9 had high blood pressure, with the highest risk in girls and children living with obesity.

An Australian study looked at salt intake in schoolchildren aged around 9 years old by measuring the sodium in their urine over a 24-hour period. This is a reliable indicator of dietary salt consumption because it captures everything eaten, not just what parents remember or children report.

The findings were concerning. Many of the children were consuming too much salt. Just under one in five had high blood pressure, and the risk was highest in girls and children living with obesity. What’s particularly worrying is that childhood hypertension can track into adulthood, setting up a lifetime of cardiovascular risk.

So where is all this salt coming from? While you’d expect savoury snacks like chips and crackers to be culprits, sweet foods are often the hidden problem. Breakfast cereals, bread, biscuits, and even some yoghurts can contain surprisingly high amounts of sodium. A couple of slices of bread can have as much salt as a small packet of crisps. Even foods marketed as healthy options for kids can be loaded with salt as a flavour enhancer and preservative.

The message for parents: home-cooked food with minimal added salt is the healthiest approach. When buying packaged foods, check the sodium content on labels. As a guide, foods with less than 120mg of sodium per 100g are considered low salt, while anything over 400mg per 100g is high. Minimise processed foods and encourage plenty of exercise to help maintain a healthy weight. Teaching children to enjoy food without excessive salt now helps establish healthier taste preferences for life.