Takeaways near schools serving high-salt meals

21 May 2010

Many children buy takeaway meals near their schools that are high in salt and saturated fat, a survey has found.

The research, which was commissioned by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) and carried out by London Environmental Health Food Teams, looked at popular menu items bought by secondary school children in 16 London boroughs.

All of the takeaway shops were located close to schools and were regularly visited by schoolchildren as an alternative to school dinners or for after-school snacks.

Researchers found that some meals contained over one-and-a-half times more salt than the maximum daily recommended level for an adult, while others had three times more saturated fat than the guideline amount.

Three-quarters of meals contained more salt than is allowed under the standards for secondary school lunches, while the majority also contained more saturated fat.

Cash chairman Professor Graham MacGregor commented: "With everything we know about the dangers of eating too much salt and saturated fat, keeping children's salt and saturated fat consumption below the recommended maximum limits is vital.

"Research shows that children who eat higher salt diets have higher blood pressure, and are therefore much more likely to have heart attacks and strokes than children who eat less salt."

Mubeen Bhutta, policy manager at the British Heart Foundation, described the amounts of saturated fat in takeaway meals as "disturbing".

He claimed: "Putting information about calories, fat and salt on the menu or at the till would mean we'd all know more about what we're thinking of eating, and encourage people to make healthier choices."

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