A recent study (C Grimes et al. 24-h urinary sodium excretion is associated with obesity in a cross-sectional sample of Australian schoolchildren  British Journal of Nutrition  Volume  115 / Issue 06 / March 2016, pp 1071 – 1079) was summarized at AJP.com.au: Childhood salt intake linked to obesity.

An excerpt:

The study also found that in both four-to-seven-year olds and eight-to-12-year-olds, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was also higher in children with a higher intake of salt.

The recent findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition came from the SONIC (Salt and Other Nutrient Intakes in Children) study that measured salt intake in 666 primary schoolchildren aged four to 12 years….

“We found that 70% of Australian children are eating over the maximum amount of salt recommended for good health.

“In this study children were eating on average six grams of salt a day, which is over a teaspoon, and they should be aiming to eat about 4-5 grams a day.

”For every additional gram of salt children ate this was associated with a 23% greater likelihood of being overweight or obese. Such high intakes of salt are setting children up for a lifetime risk of future chronic disease such as high blood pressure and heart disease”

Related blog posts:

• On the Merits of Moderation: Salt, Cholesterol, and Vitamins …
• Will salt intake make you fat? | gutsandgrowth
• Can you identify the six saltiest foods? gutsandgrowth (in U.S. diet)