Children’s eating habits today can have a lasting impact on their health tomorrow. With processed foods, sugary treats, and high-salt snacks becoming common, parents often overlook how these choices affect growing bodies. Dr Vikas Kohli, Senior Pediatric Cardiologist with over 25 years of experience and Founder of the Child Heart Foundation (CHF), shares with HT Lifestyle that excessive salt and sugar in kids’ diets can raise the risk of heart problems in the future, emphasising the importance of balanced nutrition from an early age. (Also read: Bengaluru cardiac surgeon explains how to spot sudden cardiac arrest vs heart attack; shares what to do to save lives )
How excess salt affects children’s blood pressure
“Heart disease rarely begins in middle age. In many cases, it starts quietly at the dining table years earlier,” says Dr Kohli. “Current national data show that Indians consume roughly nine to 11 grams of salt a day, almost twice the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit of five grams. At the same time, about 12.5 million Indian children are classified as overweight or obese as per the 2022 Lancet Study. These numbers, drawn from health surveys and government assessments, underline a shift in diet that is beginning far too early,” he adds.
“Excess sodium pushes up blood pressure, and high blood pressure is no longer just an adult problem. Survey data indicate that a noticeable proportion of Indian adolescents already display elevated readings. Blood pressure patterns tend to track across life. A child accustomed to salty snacks, packaged foods, and ready-to-eat meals is likely to retain that preference into adulthood. Over time, sustained hypertension becomes one of the strongest predictors of heart disease and stroke,” explains Dr Kohli.
What role does sugar plays in childhood obesity and future heart risk?
“Sugar follows a different but equally worrying path,” Dr Kohli adds. “India today has over 100 million people living with diabetes. High sugar intake in early life is linked with greater risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Early-onset obesity significantly raises the probability of cardiovascular disease later on. Urban dietary studies show that a large share of children’s daily calories now comes from packaged and sweetened products. That excess does not simply disappear, it alters metabolism.”
“Cardiovascular disease already accounts for nearly one in four deaths in India. Rising childhood obesity, if left unchecked, will only add to that burden in the decades ahead. This is not alarmism, it is arithmetic,” says Dr Kohli.
“Reducing salt and added sugar in children’s diets is not about perfection. It is about prevention. Smaller portions of processed foods, fewer sugary drinks, and more home-cooked meals can make a difference. The effort must begin early, because the consequences of delay are measured not in years, but in lifetimes,” emphasises Dr Kohli.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
