MedWire News: Children with a high salt intake consume more soft drinks than those with a low salt intake, and are therefore significantly increasing their risk of high blood pressure and obesity in later life, say researchers.

Adults who consume a lot of salt tend to compensate by drinking more fluids, explain Dr Feng He and colleagues from the University of London in the UK.

They say that children who consume a lot of sugary soft drinks are increasing their risk of becoming overweight or obese, but add that it is not known whether soft drink consumption is linked to salt intake in children.

The researchers therefore asked 1688 UK children, aged between 4 and 18 years, and their parents to record their salt and fluid intake over a period of 1 week.

The team found that there was a significant association between the children's intake of salt and their total intake of fluids, including sugar-sweetened drinks.

Indeed, for every 1 g increase in the children's daily salt intake, their total daily intake of fluids went up by 100 g and their daily intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks increased by 27 g.

Based on their findings, the researchers calculate that if each child in the UK cut their daily salt intake by half - an average decrease of around 3 g - their intake of soft drinks would fall by 2.3 drinks a week, significantly reducing their risk of becoming obese and developing high blood pressure.

"A reduction in salt intake could, therefore, play a role in helping to reduce childhood obesity through its effect on sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption," Dr He and team conclude in the journal Hypertension.

They add: "This would have a beneficial effect on preventing cardiovascular disease independent of and additive to the effect of salt reduction on blood pressure."

Commenting on the findings, Ruairi O'Connor, from the British Heart Foundation, said: "When children regularly swill down salty foods with sugary, calorie-laden soft drinks, it can mean double trouble for their future heart health.

"This report is yet more proof that children must be supported to make healthier food choices to avoid becoming obese or increasing their blood pressure."