Relationship between Dietary Salt and SBP Independent of other Dietary Factors

A recent study from the INTERMAP (International Study on Macro/Micro-nutrients and Blood Pressure) Research Group, published in Hypertension, assessed whether the sodium-blood pressure (BP) relationship is modulated by other dietary factors.

The INTERMAP study includes 4680 participants aged 40-59 years from Japan, China, United Kingdom and the United States. Dietary data was collected via four interview-administrated 24-hour dietary recalls along with two 24-hr urine samples per participant.

In this population 24-hr sodium excretion two standard deviations above the mean (118.7 mmol) was associated with 3.7 mmHg higher systolic BP (SBP). Controlling for 13 macro-nutrients, 12 vitamins, 7 minerals and 18 amino acids did not change the relationship between 24-hr urinary sodium and SBP.

Authors concluded that these results reinforce the importance of reducing dietary salt to prevent and control hypertension.

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