Estimate of total salt intake in two regions of Belgium through analysis of sodium in 24-h urine samples

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2010) 64, 12601265

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Estimate of total salt intake in two regions of Belgium through analysis of sodium in 24-h urine samples

S Vandevijvere1, W De Keyzer2, J-P Chapelle3, D Jeanne3, G Mouillet3, I Huybrechts2, P Hulshof4

and H Van Oyen1

1Unit of Epidemiology, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium; 2Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; 3Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, University of Lige, Lige, Belgium and 4Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Objectives: To evaluate total salt intake in the adult population through an analysis of sodium in 24-h urine samples in two regions of Belgium.

Methods: Urine samples were collected over 24 h from participants and they had to complete a specific questionnaire about salt intake afterwards. Sodium and creatinine concentrations were analysed in these samples.

Subjects: The target population comprised adults aged 4565 years in the region of Ghent and Liege. A total of 123 and 157 volunteers from Ghent and Liege, respectively, were included in the study.

Results: The mean creatinine level in Flanders (n 114) amounted to 0.1730.035 mmol/kg/day, whereas in the Walloon

region (n 135) it amounted to 0.1610.036 mmol/kg/day, after the exclusion of subjects with incomplete urine collection.

Intake of sodium in Flanders (n 114) was 4.291.29 g/day, whereas in the Walloon region (n 135) it was 3.941.44 g/day.

In both regions, sodium intake in men was higher than in women.

Conclusion: Salt intake was more or less twice as high as the recommended intake. Salt intake as estimated from 24-h urine collections is substantially higher than that previously calculated on the basis of food consumption data. A salt reduction programme for Belgium is primordial.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2010) 64, 12601265; doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.148

Web End =10.1038/ejcn.2010.148; published online 18 August 2010

Keywords: salt intake; urine samples; Belgium

Introduction

Conclusive scientific evidence links excessive consumption of sodium with cardiovascular disease, gastric cancer, osteoporosis, cataract, kidney stones and diabetes (Cappuccio and MacGregor, 1997; He et al., 1999; Cappuccio et al., 2000; Nagata et al., 2004; Strazzullo et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2009). Results of the National Health Interview Survey of 2004 show...