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School canteens: no to salt on the tables

Children eat enough salt already. Salt on the table, especially in the school canteen, is not good for them.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), daily salt intake should be less than 5 grams for adults. An official British body (The Stationery Office) recommends a maximum of 3 grams for children aged 4 to 6, and 5 grams for children aged 7 to 10. In practice, we consume more salt than this (adults in France consume 7 to 8 grams daily), mainly due to the presence of large quantities of salt in many industrially processed foods. Many authorities recommend that adults reduce salt consumption to prevent high blood pressure. In the absence of any reliable studies in children, the precautionary principle demands that their salt consumption should also be reduced. In 2001, a Ministry of Education directive on meals served in school canteens advocated teaching children to eat food that is not heavily salted. A report from the French food authority in 2002 recommended not providing salt packets to children, and avoiding or limiting salt cellars on the tables. In 2004 France's Académie de médecine suggested removing salt cellars from school canteens. Placing salt cellars on the tables in school canteens goes against the precautionary principle and many official recommendations. Schools should be reminded of this, if necessary.

©Prescrire March 2005

Source: "Alimentation des enfants : des salières sur la table de la cantine scolaire" Rev Prescrire 2005 ; 25 (259) : 236.

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