What are the possible consequences of eating more than the recommended amount of salt, saturated fat and sugar?
Children should be encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet with only small amounts of food high in salt, sugar and fat, and to get plenty of physical activity. The health effects of having more than the recommended amounts are explained below. Too much salt Eating too much salt has been linked to higher than average blood pressure later in life, which may lead to an increased risk of heart disease or stroke. In May 2003, the Agency issued maximum recommended levels of salt for children for the first time, following a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. The maximum amount of salt children should be having varies by age: • 4 to 6 years – 3g a day • 7 to 10 years – 5g a day • 11 years upwards – 6g a day The Agency advises parents/carers to cut the levels of salt they use, including salt added during cooking and at the table. About three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from processed food, so it is important to check the salt content on food labels when buying foo
