Student Diet, School Dilemma: Schools Worry About Newest Change
During the past 2 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has implemented guidelines to make school lunches healthier, including requiring schools to reduce sodium in meals. As food service directors in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, work to meet the new sodium guidelines ahead of schedule, the county’s schools have started using reduced sodium meats, cheeses, and canned foods provided by the USDA. Some students have not welcomed the changes, prompting cafeteria staff to worry that students will avoid the updated food. However, students have responded more positively to efforts to cook more items using fresh ingredients and experiment with different seasonings. – WLFI-TV
A Low Sodium Diet Is Still the Best Bet
Consuming less than the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium is not associated with adverse health effects, according to a new study published online in the journal Circulation. The Institute of Medicine asked experts to review studies on sodium’s health effects after several studies produced findings suggesting that diets could be too low in sodium. Analyzing data from a previous large study that followed the field’s “gold standard” technique of measuring sodium consumption in 24-hour urine samples, the researchers “found there were no adverse effects with lower amounts of sodium and benefits continued to be seen at the lowest sodium levels," according to lead author Nancy Cook. – Reuters
Sodium Intake Tied to Obesity Among Teens
Teenagers who eat a high sodium diet tend to be heavier and have more body fat than those who eat less sodium, according to a new study published online in the journal Pediatrics. Tracking the daily eating habits of more than 760 black and white adolescents, investigators found that teenagers consumed an average of 3,280 milligrams of sodium per day, far exceeding the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams. Measurements of the teens’ body composition revealed that teens with a high sodium diet generally had a higher percentage of body fat and showed more signs of inflammation, regardless of physical activity levels, how much total food they ate, or how often they drank sugary beverages. On average, teens with the highest sodium intake weighed approximately 4 pounds more than those who consumed the least. Researchers are not sure why sodium intake was tied to inflammation and obesity even after accounting for many other risk factors that could contribute to weight gain, but they speculate that high sodium diets might stimulate the brain’s reward and pleasure center, which increases the chance of overeating and obesity. – Reuters
Is It Worse to Consume Too Much Salt or Too Much Sugar?
Nutritional consultant Mike Roussell responds to the question, “Is it worse to consume too much salt or too much sugar?” Although high levels of sugar and sodium have negative effects on the body, people do not need to eliminate either component of their diet. He notes that to control excess sodium, people should avoid a diet that includes high sodium, packaged, and processed foods, citing CDC data that show more than 75% of Americans’ intake of sodium comes from these sources. Roussell also notes a connection between sodium and sugar consumption: Eating sugar in excess causes the body to release more of the hormone insulin, which also causes the kidneys to retain sodium, leading to elevated blood pressure. – Shape Magazine