OTTAWA - The fast-food company A&W has the dubious distinction of winning the first national for its Chubby Junior Kids' Meal.
The prize was awarded Tuesday in a joint effort to raise awareness about the sodium content of food by the Canadian Stroke Network, the Canadian Obesity Network and the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, which brings together researchers from various disciplines to focus on food issues.
The organizations say the Chubby Junior Kids' meal contains 1,910 milligrams of sodium -- 710 mg more than the recommended total daily intake for four-to-eight year olds. The meal consists of two Chubby chicken pieces and fries.
"Salty diets are raising children's blood pressure and taking them down a path towards stroke and heart disease in adulthood,'' Dr. Antoine Hakim of the Canadian Stroke Network said in a statement.
The recommended sodium intake for children is 1,000 mg a day for one- to three-year-olds, 1,200 mg a day for those four to eight and 1,500 mg a day for children age nine and over.
"Fast food companies need healthier menu options and grocery store shelves need healthier products,'' Dr. Rickey Yada, scientific director of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, said in a release.
"Our researchers are working to identify and help develop healthier ingredients, make them available to food companies and, ultimately, to the consumer.''
The organizations gave several examples of high-sodium foods aimed at children in Canada, based on information from the food companies' websites as of Jan. 23, 2008.
- Bacon double cheeseburger quesadilla with fries from the kids menu at Boston Pizza: 1,720 mg of sodium.
- Grilled cheese sandwich from kids menu at Swiss Chalet: 1,120 mg of sodium.
- Junior cheeseburger deluxe at Wendy's: 690 mg of sodium. Kids Meal french fries: 270 mg.
- Original Whopper junior sandwich with Cheese at Burger King: 700 mg of sodium. Kids french fries: 240 mg.
- Junior chicken sandwich at McDonald's: 760 mg of sodium. Small fries: 180 mg.
