Salt intake is positively associated with blood pressure

January 01, 0001

Salt intake is positively associated with blood pressure

The aim of this study by researchers from Australia was to assess the relationship between dietary sodium intake, as measured by urinary electrolyte excretion, and blood pressure within a population of older Australian adults. It consisted of a cross-sectional study of adults enrolled in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, stratified by sex, country of birth (Italy, Greece, Australia/New Zealand) and age (50-59 and 60-75 years). Blood pressure measurements were taken in 2003-2007 and 24-hour urine collections in 2007-2008.

The mean age of 783 participants was 64.0. Mean urinary sodium was 155.1 mmol/day (8.9 g salt/day), urinary potassium was 82.3 mmol/day, and urinary sodium-to- potassium ratio was 1.99. In the 587 participants with blood pressure measurements, urinary sodium and the sodium-to- potassium ratio were both associated with systolic blood pressure in all adjusted and unadjusted models.

The researchers concluded: "This study has demonstrated, for the first time within an Australian population sample of older adults, that sodium intake is positively associated with blood pressure. These results suggest that a population-wide reduction in sodium intake could be effective in reducing blood pressure in adults in Australia."

Very much supporting earlier studies between countries.


For the full abstract, click here.

MJA 195(3):128-132, 1 August 2011 © 2011 to The Medical Journal of Australia
Relationship of urinary sodium and sodium-to- potassium ratio to blood pressure in older adults in Australia. Catherine E Huggins, Sharleen O’Reilly, Maree Brinkman et al. Correspondence to Caryl Nowson: [email protected]

Category: Keywords: urinary, sodium, potassium, ratio, blood pressure, cross sectional study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 19 August 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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