The role of caloric intake in the association of high salt intake with high blood pressure

By: Stern N., Buch A., Goldsmith R., Nitsan L., Margaliot M., Endevelt R., Marcus Y., Shefer G., Grotto I.
Published in: Scientific Reports
SDGs : SDG 03  |  Units: Social Welfare & Health Sciences  | Time: 2021 |  Link
Description: Since current recommendations call for a substantial reduction in overall sodium consumption, we tested whether or not t hese recommendations are implemented in common large subpopulations such as those with abnormal weight or hypertension in the current high sodium, high-calorie nutritional environment. In a national representative cross-sectional survey of the community-dwelling subjects aged 25–65 years conducted in Israel between 2015 and 2017, 582 randomly selected subjects completed health and dietary questionnaires, underwent blood pressure and anthropometric measurements and collected 24-h urine specimens, to assess dietary sodium intake. Overall mean 24-h sodium excretion was 3834 mg, more than double the recommended upper intake for adults < 1500 mg/day. Sodium excretion was directly related to caloric intake and blood pressure and linked to the presence of hypertension and overweight/obesity. The highest sodium excretion was seen in overweight/obese hypertensive subjects. This recent national survey shows a high consumption of sodium in the Israeli population and a dose–response association between caloric intake and urinary sodium excretion, independent of BMI and hypertension. Nevertheless, overweight/obese subjects with hypertension consume (excrete) more sodium than other BMI/ blood pressure-related phenotypes and may thus comprise a target subpopulation for future efforts to reduce sodium intake. © 2021, The Author(s).