Rural and Urban Population Differences in the Association of Dietary Calcium with Blood Pressure and Hypertension Occurrence: Analysis of Longitudinal Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

Abstract

The relationship of dietary calcium intake (DCI) to blood pressure (BP) and hypertension occurrence (HTN) in the general population is controversial. Few studies have reported the impact of DCI on high blood pressure (HBP) and HTN in rural and urban populations (RPs and UPs, respectively). In this study, we assessed how DCI is related to BP and HTN among the RP and the UP. This retrospective study used data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for 2000–2009. We analyzed 12,052 records from 3013 participants using path analysis and logistic regressions. DCI and HTN were significantly higher in the UP compared to the RP. When UPs and RPs were analyzed together, a 1 unit increase in DCI decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 0.01 (p = 0.002) but had no effect on diastolic blood pressure. Males vs. females from the RP presented significant risk of HTN by the high DCI (OR = 2.3 (1.6–3.6)). DCI and its association with BP varied based on living environment and sex.