The Hobart Salt Study 1995: few meet national sodium intake target

Abstract

Objective To estimate 24‐hour sodium and potassium excretion in an urban Australian population. Design and setting Cross‐sectional survey of an urban population in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1995. Participants Systematic sample (87 men, 107 women) from the Commonwealth Electoral Roll of people aged 18‐70 years on 30 June 1995 whose residential address was within 10 km of the Hobart General Post Office. Main outcome measure Conformity with the national target for sodium intake for the year 2000 of ≤ 100 mmol/day. Results The target was met by 6% of men and 36% of women. This difference between the sexes was significant (P<0.001), while differences between age groups and socioeconomic levels were not significant. Conclusion Our findings confirm the low level of conformity with the national sodium target reported by the handful of Australian studies over the past decade. Given the major community costs associated with hypertension, our results highlight the need for effective and properly monitored action to reduce sodium intakes.

Reductions in Blood Pressure Following Energy Restriction for Weight Loss Do Not Rebound after Re-Establishment of Energy Balance in Overweight and Obese Subjects

“…At baseline, 24-hr urinary Na + excretion levels were similar to those reported in population-based surveys of individuals eating typical Australian diets (37,38). Overall, there was no significant change in Na + excretion in our subjects despite reductions in total energy intake.…”

Cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce dietary salt intake

“…But is this degree of paternalism justified? It can be argued that there are many who could benefit; 94% of Australian men and 64% of Australian women exceed the recommended salt intake,38 and by reducing salt at the manufacturing stage, those who benefit will include children and those most disadvantaged in accessing healthcare services. In addition, unlike the regulation of other food ingredients, such as adding folic acid to bread or iodine to salt, the intervention does not seek to add something to the food supply but merely to reduce a commonly used ingredient to more moderate levels.…”

“…We also calculate the maximum possible change in blood pressure that could occur with a reduction in dietary salt intake (figure 1). This is derived from the difference between the recommended limit of 100 mmol/day11 and Australian sodium excretion levels of 170 mmol/day (SD 52) for men and 118 mmol/day (SD 42) for women 38…”

Effects of Salt Supplementation on the Albuminuric Response to Telmisartan With or Without Hydrochlorothiazide Therapy in Hypertensive Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Are Modulated by Habitual Dietary Salt Intake

“…In industrialized countries, dietary sodium consumption is generally above the recommended targets of 100 mmol/24 h (20,21). Albuminuria has been considered a risk marker for progressive loss of renal function in type 2 diabetes with nephropathy, as well as a target for therapy (22).…”