Salt Intake Is Related to Soft Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract-Dietary salt is a major determinant of fluid intake in adults; however, little is known about this relationship in children. Sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption is related to childhood obesity, but it is unclear whether there is a link between salt and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. We analyzed the data of a cross-sectional study, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for young people in Great Britain. Salt intake and fluid intake were assessed in 1688 participants aged 4 to 18 years, using a 7-day dietary record. There was a significant association between salt intake and total fluid, as well as sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption (PϽ0.001), after adjusting for potential confounding factors. A difference of 1 g/d in salt intake was associated with a difference of 100 and 27 g/d in total fluid and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption, respectively. These results, in conjunction with other evidence, particularly that from experimental studies where only salt intake was changed, demonstrate that salt is a major determinant of fluid and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption during childhood. If salt intake in children in the United Kingdom was reduced by half (mean decrease: 3 g/d), there would be an average reduction of Ϸ2.3 sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child. A reduction in salt intake could, therefore, play a role in helping to reduce childhood obesity through its effect on sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. This would have a beneficial effect on preventing cardiovascular disease independent of and additive to the effect of salt reduction on blood pressure. (Hypertension. 2008;51:629-634.)

Consumption of dietary salt measured by urinary sodium excretion and its association with body weight status in healthy children and adolescents

“…CF and other foods with a high salt content may also indirectly act as adipogenic due to an induced higher intake of SCB. Indeed, He et al observed that salt intake predicted the intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks among children in a cross-sectional analysis of a dietary survey in Great Britain (6) . Accordingly, the authors suggested that the higher soft drinks consumption could be a causal link between salt intake and obesity.…”

Perilaku makan berlebih dan hubungannya dengan kegemukan pada anak prasekolah

“…Mekanisme perilaku desire to drink yang berkaitan dengan berat badan masih perlu diinvestigasi lebih lanjut, karena sebuah penelitian menemukan bahwa mengonsumsi minuman manis diantara waktu makan memiliki risiko sebesar 2 kali mengalami kegemukan pada anak prasekolah (33). Di samping itu, penelitian lain menemukan bahwa keinginan untuk minum berkaitan dengan berat badan dapat disebabkan oleh makan makanan ringan yang umumnya tinggi kandungan garam/natrium, sehingga meningkatkan rasa haus dan mengonsumsi minuman manis atau softdrink yang umumnya tinggi kalori (34).…”

Osteoporosis, Nutrition and Adolescence

“…As it has been mentioned, the consumption of these kinds of foods may be associated to lower intake of fruits and dairy products and greater intake of phosphorus due to high phosphoruscontaining additives, which implies negative effects on calcium utilization. Together with phosphate salts, processed foods are also rich in sodium salts-containing additives (He et al, 2008) which, certainly, increases sodium intake. It is known that average sodium intakes in children and adolescents well exceed nutritional needs, overcoming even 3.5 g/day (Falkner & Michel, 1997).…”