Hypertension Risk from Salty Foods Spreads Among Nigerian Children

According to health experts, Nigerian children are at risk of developing hypertension due to excessive salt intake. They have cautioned parents to pay attention to both the salt added during cooking and the processed foods their children consume.

'It's not just a one-off thing. There's a risk of developing high blood pressure,' said Dr. Abdurrazzaq Alege, the Head of Paediatrics at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.

Health experts have highlighted that children may consume sodium from several everyday foods, including seasoning cubes, instant noodles, processed meats, crisps, and packaged snacks. They note that parents often underestimate their children's overall sodium intake due to this.

### Excessive Salt Consumption Causes Fluid Retention and Kidney Strain

Excessive sodium consumption causes the body to retain more fluid. This increases the volume of fluid in the bloodstream, putting greater pressure on the blood vessels. Dr. Alege further explained that the body initially responds to this by making the child thirsty, so they take in more water.

However, he warned that when excessive sodium intake continues over a prolonged period, these regulatory mechanisms become less effective. Prolonged hypertension in childhood may remain a problem later in life, as the child may be exposed to elevated blood pressure for a longer period.

### WHO Recommends Reducing Sodium Intake in Children

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends reducing sodium intake to help control blood pressure in children aged two to 15 years. They also suggest adjusting the adult maximum of 2000mg of sodium per day downward for children according to their energy requirements.

### 5.1% of Nigerian Children and Adolescents Have Hypertension

According to a 2017 systematic review by Nigerian researcher Chukwunonso E.C.C. Ejike, 5.1% of Nigerian children and adolescents have hypertension, while 8.2% have prehypertension.

### Parents Urged to Reduce Heavily Salted and Processed Foods

Assistant Director of Dietetics at the Lagos State Health Service Commission, General Hospital, Badagry, Olusola Malomo, urged parents to pay closer attention to the different sources of sodium in their children's diets.

### Parents Should Introduce Less Salty Foods Early

Dr. Alege advised parents to reduce heavily salted and highly processed foods in their children's diets and introduce them to less salty foods early to help shape their taste preferences.

### Key Facts • 5.1% of Nigerian children and adolescents have hypertension. • 8.2% of Nigerian children and adolescents have prehypertension. • Children's sodium requirements vary according to age. • WHO recommends reducing sodium intake in children aged two to 15 years. • Nigerian researcher Chukwunonso E.C.C. Ejike reviewed 30 studies on hypertension in children and adolescents. • Dr. Abdurrazzaq Alege is the Head of Paediatrics at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.