What Kids Eat May Affect Bloo... Health Article

Here's another reason to watch your kids' diet: What they eat during infancy and adolescence could influence whether they develop high blood pressure later in life, doctors say.

Dutch and American research teams found that early dietary levels of such key nutrients as sodium, calcium, fiber, and fat, among others, appear to be "important determinants" of blood pressure, the American Heart Association reports.

The Dutch scientists examined 167 children who ate low-sodium diets as infants in 1980. Children who had below-average blood pressure at the end of that six-month trial still had below-average blood pressure 15 years later, compared with teens who ate "normal" sodium levels as infants.

An American team tracked 662 children ages 8 to 11 over three years. "When we examined each nutrient by itself, eating more calcium, magnesium, potassium, protein, or fiber was associated with lower blood pressure, and eating more total fat was associated with higher blood pressure," says lead investigator Denise G. Simons-Morton, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md.

The blood pressure differences were modest in both studies, researchers say, and more study must follow. While the research suggests it's wise to avoid a high-salt diet for infants, moderation is in order.