The Importance of Reducing Salt Intake in Children, While Respecting the Correct Iodine Supplementation. The Pediatricia
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Importance of Reducing Salt Intake in Children, While Respecting the Correct Iodine Supplementation. The Pediatricians’ Point of View Irene Rutigliano1 · Gianpaolo de Filippo2,3 · Angelo Campanozzi4 Received: 11 July 2020 / Accepted: 25 September 2020 © Italian Society of Hypertension 2020
Dear Editor, We read with great interest the article “Elevated Blood Pressure and Associations with Sodium Intake among Multiethnic Youth in Edmonton, Canada: Findings from WHY ACT NOW” by Kolahdooz et al. recently published in High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Prevention [1]. The Authors confirm that the reduction of salt intake must play a very important role in the nutritional education of children and adolescents. It is during the first years of life, indeed, that the correct eating habits are formed and will continue in adulthood. In our opinion, the most important aspect to consider in monitoring sodium intake is the item of hidden salt. In fact, the salt added voluntary to foods is generally defined discretionary, whereas not discretionary is the salt naturally present in foods or used in industrial, semi-industrial and artisanal food processing. In particular, industrial products are often rich in hidden Sodium. Its addition to food acts as a preservative, as well as providing salty taste and correcting unpleasant ones. We have therefore to deal with hidden sodium [2]. Preventive action should, therefore, provide two ways: educating children to limit their intake of industrial products and involving industry to reduce sodium content in food processing. * Angelo Campanozzi [email protected] 1
Pediatrics, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza”, San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy
2
Service d’Endocrinologie‑Diabétologie Pédiatrique, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
3
French Clinical Research Group On Adolescent Medicine and Health, Paris, France
4
Pediatrics, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
Two very important aspects have therefore to be considered in pediatrics: first, “limiting” and “educating to limit” salt intake during childhood represents the goal of an important prevention program; second, there is the awareness that food preferences are built up during childhood and, in particular, the very first years of life appears to be a key period for the development of taste and eating habits [3]. We have also to take into account that salt is commonly regarded as the intervention vehicle for the prevention of iodine deficiency. Iodine is an essential trace element for the production of thyroid hormones, for growth and in particular for neurological development. In many countries, there is a lack of nutritional intake of iodine with deleterious effects on health in children and adolescents. The prevention strategy for the eradication of iodine deficiency disorders proposed by the WHO is based on the use of iodized salt; an optimal choice because not only is salt one of the few produc
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