Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. An estimated 17.8 million people died from CVDs in 2017, representing approximately 32% of all deaths worldwide. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk for CVDs. Children with elevated blood pressure are at high risk of CVD pathology during childhood, and are also at high risk for hypertension and CVDs as adults.

Evidence shows that increasing potassium intake significantly reduces blood pressure in adults. In children, available studies show that increasing potassium intake reduces blood pressure by a small, but non-significant amount. Potassium is found in a variety of unrefined foods, including beans and peas, nuts, vegetables such as spinach, cabbage and parsley and fruits such as bananas, papayas and dates. Food processing reduces the amount of potassium in many food products, and a diet high in processed foods and low in fresh fruits and vegetables is often lacking in potassium.

Given the small number of trials in children, guidelines were developed based on systematic reviews for adults.