WASHINGTON — More than 90 percent of U.S. schoolchildren eat more salt than they should, taking in an average of nearly 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, according to a government report released Tuesday.

That’s nearly 1.5 teaspoons of salt each day — and about 1,000 milligrams more than the federal government recommends.

But hiding the kitchen salt shaker won’t do much to curb the problem because most of the sodium in children’s diets comes from foods prepared outside the home. In fact, 43 percent of sodium consumed by U.S. children ages 6-18 comes from 10 restaurant, cafeteria and processed food favorites that are staples of the American youth diet.

Store-bought processed foods like savory snacks, cold cuts, cheese and soups account for 65 percent of the sodium that children eat.

Thirteen percent comes from fast food and traditional restaurant fare like pizza, Mexican dishes, burgers and other sandwiches. Another 9 percent comes from school cafeteria favorites like chicken nuggets, pasta dishes and bread and rolls.

The findings are from a 2009-10 survey of nearly 3,000 youngsters by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s the latest data to chronicle America’s dangerous love affair with salty food. Such treats may hit the spot for youngsters, but it could jeopardize their long-term health.

High-sodium diets can lead to high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke. One in six U.S. youngsters ages 8 to 17 already has elevated blood pressure.

And while federal guidelines recommend children eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, African-American children and all others with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should eat no more than 1,500 milligrams per day.

Daily salt consumption declined slightly over the last 10 years among youngsters ages 13 and younger, but adolescents have not made similar progress. The CDC study found that the average high school student consumes 3,672 milligrams of sodium each day.