The relationship between salt intake and hypertension in adolescents in an area of Northeast China

Objective To study the relationship between salt intake and hypertension among adolescents in an area of Northeast China.

Methods  According to the method of cluster random sampling, two high schools were selected from 18 high schools in a certain area of Northeast China, and 612 teenagers aged 15–17 were included as the research subjects. Gender, age, nationality, residence and family history of hypertension were collected using self-made questionnaire. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Sodium salt intake was estimated by chewing salt threshold tablets, and random urine sampling. The influence of salt intake on hypertension in adolescents was analyzed.

Results  The detection rate of hypertension in adolescents was 26.6% (163/612). Among the adolescents with sodium salt intake results of No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No.4 measured by chewing salt threshold tablets (correspond to sodium chloride contents of 4.5, 6.8, 9.1 and 11.9 g respectively), the detection rates of hypertension were 19.4% (32/165), 25.8% (57/221), 31.4% (48/153), and 35.6% (26/73), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference among groups (χ² = 28.897, P ＜ 0.001). Among the adolescents with sodium salt intake of ≤7.7, ＞7.7–9.3, ＞9.3–11.0, ＞11.0 g/d estimated by the random urine spot method, the detection rates of hypertension were 16.3% (25/153), 22.7% (35/153), 26.7% (41/154), and 40.7% (62/152), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference among groups (χ² = 25.089, P ＜ 0.001). The results of multivariate analysis showed that overweight/obesity (OR = 1.900, 95%CI: 1.289–2.799, P = 0.001), family history of hypertension (OR = 1.897, 95%CI: 1.020–3.525, P = 0.043), chewing salt threshold tablet No.4 (OR = 1.769, 95%CI: 1.103–3.321, P = 0.041), estimated sodium intake being ＞9.3–11.0 g/d (OR = 1.796, 95%CI: 1.006–3.027, P = 0.048), and ＞11.0 g/d (OR = 3.574, 95%CI: 1.947–6.561, P＜0.001) were the risk factors for hypertension in adolescents in an area of Northeast China.

Conclusion Excessive sodium intake is correlated with hypertension in adolescents in an area of Northeast China.