Trend of salt intake measured by 24-hour urine collection samples among Iranian adults population between 1998 and 2013: The Isfahan salt study

Abstract

Background and aim: Few population-based studies conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean region assessed salt intake by the measurement of 24-h sodium urine excretion (24- hUNa). The current study aimed to assess the trend of mean salt intake in Iranian adults between 1998 and 2013. Methods and results: These cross-sectional studies were performed on 564, 157, 509 and 837 Blood pressure randomly selected healthy adults aged >18 years from Isfahan city, Iran, in 1998, 2001, 2007 and 2013, respectively. BP was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer according to a standard protocol. Single 24-h urine was collected to assess 24-hUNa as a surrogate of salt intake, and 24-h urinary K (24-hUK). The estimated trend of salt intake was 9.5, 9.7, 9.6 and 10.2 g/day in total population (P < 0.001). The increase in salt intake between 1998 and 2013 was significant only in men, (P < 0.001). The risk of pre-hypertension was 21 and 18 significantly greater in the highest quartiles of UNa/UK after adjustment for potential confounders in 2001 and 2013, respectively, OR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.03-1.64) and 1.18 (1.02-1.38), respectively. Conclusions: This population-based study indicated that mean salt intake was about two times of recommendation in Isfahan city, Iran, and suggest that it would be essential to implement a salt reduction strategy program in Iranian population. Longitudinal national studies with larger samples examining the trend of salt intake are warranted. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University.