A survey by Action on Salt has revealed concerning levels of salt content in children's meals across various restaurants in the UK. The study found that 37% of children's main meals exceed the government's set target of 1.71 grams of salt per serving. With daily recommended intake for children aged four to six capped at 3 grams, the results are significant, as nearly half the meals surveyed provide at least 50% of this amount.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) was identified as having the highest average salt content per meal for children at 3.06 grams. The most significant single result was from Bella Italia, with its Larger Vegan Margherita Pizza containing 4.4 grams of salt. Other notable mentions include Prezzo's Rigatoni Carbonara and Hungry Horse’s Quorn sausages meal, which also feature high salt contents.
Contrastingly, Subway was highlighted for having the lowest average salt content in children's meals at 0.79 grams. Other dishes with low salt content included Wetherspoon’s tomato and mascarpone pasta and a variety of meals from ASK Italian and Hungry Horse. Notably, six restaurants, including Burger King and Pret A Manger, adhered fully to the salt reduction targets.
Authorities such as Dr. Pauline Swift of Blood Pressure UK and John Maingay of the British Heart Foundation indicated that high salt consumption in youth could contribute to future health problems such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
GBourment Burger Kitchen and Bella Italia responded by acknowledging their role in providing lower-salt options and information to consumers, emphasizing ongoing efforts to meet health targets.
The survey underscores the challenges and variances within the restaurant industry concerning salt content in children's menus, highlighting a significant public health issue.