Trends in Sodium Intake in Children and Adolescents in the US and the Impact of US Department of Agriculture Guidelines: NHANES 2003-2016

Objective To examine trends in sodium intake and the impact of nutritional guidelines in the US pediatric population. Study design Sodium intake data collected between 2003 and 2016 in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) were analyzed. Trends in intake for individuals aged 4-17 years and subgroups based on age, sex, and race and ethnicity were examined. Adherence to US Department of Agriculture guidelines was assessed. Results A total of 16 013 individuals (50.6% male) were included in the analysis. The median sodium intake was 2840 mg/day (95% CI, 2805-2875 mg/day), decreasing from 2912 mg/day (95% CI 2848-2961 mg/day) in 2003-2004 to 2787 mg/day (95% CI, 2677-2867 mg/day) in 2015-2016 (P = .005). Intake increased with age (2507 mg/day for individuals aged 4-8, 2934 mg/day for those aged 9-13 years, and 3124 mg/day for those aged 14-17 years; P  30% after implementation of pediatric guidelines in 2010. Conclusions Sodium intake remains elevated in all pediatric population segments, and guideline adherence is poor. A greater effort to reduce sodium consumption is needed to mitigate future cardiovascular disease risk.