DIJON, FRANCE — Salt should be limited in foods for children, but its suppression in vegetables should be considered cautiously because vegetable consumption should be promoted, according to a study involving researchers from Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon and appearing on-line Dec. 7 in the British Journal of Nutrition.

The study included 74 children at day-care centers. Every other week they were served lunches that included green beans and pasta with varying salt or fat levels and afternoon snacks of fruit puree with varying sugar levels. Children were allowed to eat as much as they wanted from the target foods. Each food was weighed before and after the meal. Salt level had a positive impact on the intake of target foods, but researchers observed no impact of added fat or sugar levels.

“This implies fat and sugar addition could be avoided in foods for children without having an impact on palatability, allowing the energy density of children’s diet to be limited,” the researchers said.