A Sodium Loaded Trap? What Should Schools Tell Students about Cheese?

"This study evaluates the sodium and calcium content of convenience cheese products available for use in school lunches and the classification of such products using traffic light approaches designed to guide food selection for healthy eating. Thirty-eight convenience cheese products from NSW supermarkets were studied. Nutrition information panels provided sodium content for all products and calcium content for 35 products. It was found that a 40g serve of convenience cheese products can contribute a substantial proportion of children’s calcium Estimated Average Requirements (EARs). However, the accompanying sodium levels create difficulty for keeping daily sodium intake within the Adequate Intake (AI) range for school children of all ages, particularly, younger children (4–8 year olds). Due to the sodium content, many of the cheese products, especially processed cheeses, need to be classified as ‘red’ foods—to be avoided or only eaten occasionally. The categorisation of the convenience cheese products as ‘green’, every day foods, to provide calcium conflicts with messages to choose foods low in sodium when promoting healthy eating."

Availability:
Free
Publication Date:
2009
Author:
Robyn Pearce
Publisher:
Avondale Academic Press
PO Box 19
Cooranbong, NSW  2265

Phone: 61 2 4980 2233
FAX: 61 2 4980 2118
Email: robert.mciver@avondale.edu.au
URL: http://www.avondale.edu.au/research/avondale-academic-press/
Order Information:
Teach Journal of Christian Education, Volume 3, Issue 2, Page 46
Subjects:
Language:
English
Resource Type:
Internet Resources; Published Articles & Papers
Resource Objective:
Research
Level:
Kindergarten-Grade 12
Audience:
Researcher
Religious Origin:
Seventh-day Adventist