Under Pressure: Strategies for Sodium Reduction in the School Environment

The school environment can have a major impact on the diet of school-aged children in the United States. A recent study of school meals found that the average sodium content of school meals was nearly double the recom-mended amount. In addition, many competitive foods in the school setting are snack foods and beverages that are calorie dense and nutrient poor, and they contain high levels of fat, sugar, and sodium. High sodium exposure at school can lead to increased consumption of salt, thereby increasing children’s risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Efforts are needed to reduce sodium in the school setting. Because schools are settings in which children eat snacks and meals and also learn about health and eating habits, they are ideal settings to offer access to and knowledge about healthful foods as well as opportunities to practice healthy eating habits. Also, school districts can be large employers, thus extending the benefits of healthful eating to the workplace.