Most parents are confused about the amount of salt in food and unaware of the dangers posed by their children eating too much salt.
These were the findings of a survey carried out by Netmums campaign group and the pressure group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH).
The survey has been publicised to coincide with today's launch of Salt Awareness Week 2008.
Of the 2,000 parents polled, few knew that popular sweet foods can contain more salt than savoury snakcs, and fewer than a fifth were aware that high salt consumption had been linked to osteoporosis and aggravation of asthma.
Research by CASH showed that foods popular with children such as pizza, burgers and sausage rolls, contained more than 1g of salt per serving - a third of the recommended daily limit for four to six-year-olds.
In addition, sweet food such as muffins and some breakfast cereals were also shown to be high in salt.
Parents were also confused about labelling, with fewer than half of those surveyed aware that 1g of sodium was the equivalent of 2.5g of salt.
Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of CASH and an expert in cardiovascular medicine at London's St George's Hospital, said: "What we need is clear food labelling.
"Some food companies have reduced their salt content in recent years and this needs to continue, but having good information is key."