Effect of Genetic Information Regarding Salt‐Sensitive Hypertension on the Intent to Maintain a Reduced Salt Diet: Implications for Health Communication in Japan

Abstract

The authors investigated the relationship between the awareness of dietary salt and genetics and the intent to maintain a low‐salt diet. In particular, they assessed whether hypothetical genetic information regarding salt‐sensitive hypertension motivates the intent to reduce dietary salt for communicating the health benefits of lower salt consumption to citizens. A self‐administered questionnaire survey was conducted with 2500 randomly sampled residents aged 30 to 69 years living in Nagahama, Japan. Genetic information regarding higher salt sensitivity increased motivation to reduce salt intake for both those who agreed that genes cause hypertension and those who did not. Less than 50% of those who agreed that genes cause hypertension lost their intention to lower their salt consumption when they found they did not possess the susceptibility gene. Communicating genetic information positively affected motivation to reduce salt intake. The present study clarifies the difficulty in changing the behavioral intent of those who have significantly less incentive to reduce salt intake. Therefore, a multidimensional approach is crucial to reduce salt consumption.

Daily sodium intake influences the relationship between angiotensin‐converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and hypertension in older adults

“…The fact that the magnitude of BP increase or decrease differs among the population to changes in sodium load has led to the search for genes related to sodium sensitivity . In this context, ACE I/D gene polymorphism is reported to be related to sodium sensitivity, with II and ID genotypes carriers considered more sensitive to the hypertensive effects of a high sodium intake habit …”

“…44 The fact that the magnitude of BP increase or decrease differs among the population to changes in sodium load has led to the search for genes related to sodium sensitivity. 45,46 In this context, ACE I/D gene polymorphism is reported to be related to sodium sensitivity, 10 with II and ID genotypes carriers considered more sensitive to the hypertensive effects of a high sodium intake habit. 47 T A B L E 5 Use of cardiovascular drugs by elderly patients with hypertension according to ACE I/D genotypes (II vs ID/DD) Although classical studies show that the ACE activity level and susceptibility to hypertension follows the order DD > ID > II, 48,49 the mechanisms by which ACE I/D gene polymorphism contribute to a BP rise followed by high sodium intake (ie, sodium sensitivity) remain unclear.…”

Practical applicability of genetics for the prevention and treatment of hypertension

“…Data from this study, from other genetic polymorphisms that have already been discovered and others that have yet to be unveiled, will serve to form an interaction network that may explain the genetic influence on the development and treatment of hypertension. The relevance of this theme has been noted by several research groups that have devoted attention to the study of single nucleotide polymorphism that may be affecting the etiology of arterial hypertension 15 responses to sodium intake, 16,17 only among more recent articles published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.…”