Toddler foods high in sodium, sugar: CDC study

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning parents that they may be giving their children more sodium and sugar than they realize.

It turns out toddler foods are packed with sodium and sugar, according to a CDC study.

"Seven out of 10 toddler foods were high in the amount of sodium per serving," said Mary Cogswell, a senior scientist with the epidemiology and surveillance branch at the CDC.

Toddler foods high in sodium and sugar include dinners, cereal bars, breakfast pastries, snacks and desserts. The study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics, raises concern that children may develop an early taste for sweet and salty foods that can later contribute to obesity and other health risks.

CDC researchers note that almost one in four U.S. children between the ages of 2 to 5 are overweight or obese.

But food companies are starting to take steps in a healthier direction.

"And eating a healthy diet as an infant or toddler can set up not only a healthy diet, but improve the child's health when they're younger, but also when they become an adult," Cogswell said. "So the good news is that some manufactures are trying to lower the amount of sodium and added sugar in some of their products."

A parent's best bet is to give children whole, unprocessed foods. The American Heart Association recommends no more than three teaspoons of added sugar per day. Sodium should fall under 1,000 milligrams.