title: Salt intake and eating habits of school-aged children.
abstract: Salt restriction is important for the prevention and treatment of hypertension; however, salt consumption is still high in Japan. Improvements in dietary habits, including salt reduction in childhood, may contribute to the prevention of hypertension. The aim of the present study was to investigate the salt intake of school-aged children and the relationship between their diet diary and actual salt intake. The subjects comprised 580 schoolchildren (471 elementary school pupils and 109 junior high school pupils) who wanted to evaluate their salt intake in Kuji, a northeast coastal area in Japan. We estimated salt intake using spot urine samples and a formula. Lifestyle was assessed using a questionnaire. We also evaluated the salt intake and the lifestyles of 440 parents. The estimated salt intakes of elementary school pupils, junior high school pupils and their parents were 7.1±1.5, 7.6±1.5 and 8.0±1.7 g per day, respectively. The proportion of lower-grade children who achieved the recommended salt intake was low. In the multivariate analysis, the estimated salt intake of school-aged children correlated with their age, estimated salt intake of their parents and the menu priorities of the household. The estimated salt intake of the parents was associated with female gender, obesity, age and the habitual consumption of bread and noodles. In conclusion, the estimated salt intake of school-aged children positively correlated with the estimated salt intake of their parents, and the proportion of lower-grade children who achieved the recommended salt intake was low. Guidance on salt restriction for children and their parents may reduce the salt intake of school-aged children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Kuroda Orthopedic Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.|Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.affiliation: Health Center, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwayama
authors.affiliation: Health Center, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwashima
authors.affiliation: Biobank, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.|Department of Medical Technology, Teikyo University Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary