Children's meals at leading food outlets contain more salt than the RDA

Some of the leading pub and fast food chains are offering children’s meals containing more salt than the recommended daily allowance.

It is well known that salt increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack in older people. But too much salt in childhood causes a rise in blood pressure that worsens over time.

Salt also plays a part in the UK obesity crisis, as it can cause children to consume soft drinks that are often high in calories.

Now, an investigation by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) has found that meals at outlets like Nando’s and Wetherspoons exceed more than the child’s RDA of 4g of salt.

For instance, after testing over 160 meals, Cash found that Nando’s veggie burger with creamy mash contained 5.3g of salt. A Wetherspoons Wiltshire ham and cheese sandwich with chips had 4.8g.

These meals have three times the salt of a McDonald’s Happy Meal.

The organisation warned that it is impossible for parents to make healthy choices when out for lunch with their children because of lack of nutritional information on menus. All the food outlets offered meals that were lower in salt.

Cash campaign director Katharine Jenner said: "Children's meals should provide tasty and healthy alternatives to more adult dishes.

"It is an outrage that when families go out for a pub lunch, they may be unknowingly putting their children's health at risk."

Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said it was reviewing the salt levels in some of its dishes, and a spokesman for Nando's said the chain was currently in the process of changing its menu.