Cutting salt may cut soft drink consumption

The hunt for cures to the childhood obesity problem plaguing many nations goes on. The latest report comes in the Journal of Hypertension, published by the American Heart Association.

Lead author Dr. Feng J. He of St. George's University in London says reducing children's salt intake may lower soft drink consumption and lower the risk of obesity, He said studies have shown that dietary salt intake increases fluid consumption in adults but this study was the first to examine whether the same was true in children.

The researchers analyzed data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey in Great Britain, conducted in 1997 in a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 children ages 4-18.

"If children ages 4 to 18 years cut their salt intake by half -- i.e., an average reduction of 3 grams a day -- there would be a decrease of approximately two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child," the study said.

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