On average, children ages 2 to 19 eat more than 3,100 milligrams (mg) sodium per day — about double the amount the American Heart Association recommends. The older children get, the more calories and sodium they tend to eat.

Research has shown that males 12 to 19 eat the most sodium — an average 4,220 mg/day, while females in the same age group eat about 2,950 mg/day.

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life.

In 2019, Blue Cross Blue Shield released data from the claims of 55 million people in its Health of Millennials report. One of the most shocking stats: From 2014 to 2017, the prevalence of high blood pressure in people ages 21 to 36 jumped 16 percent, and compared with Gen Xers when they were the same age, high blood pressure among millennials was 10 percent more prevalent.