Sodium Intake Pattern in West Indian Population.

Background: High sodium intake is a major public health concern. Sodium consumption pattern of West Indian population has never been reported before.

Objectives: The cross-sectional study assessed sodium intake pattern by considering all possible dietary sources and spot urine sodium estimation among sedentary healthy adults of productive age group (35-55 years).

Materials and Methods: Twenty-four-h dietary recall (3 alternative days in a week), food frequency assessment, weighing of table, and cooking salt ( n = 218) were performed. Spot urine samples were collected for subset ( n = 33) to quantify sodium excretion. Flame photometer "CL 361" was used for food sodium quantification.

Results: Men had higher sodium intake than women (3.9 ± 0.4 vs. 3.8 ± 0.4 g/day). Significantly higher sodium intake among men was from processed ready to eat foods (0.8 ± 0.3 vs. 0.6 ± 0.1, P < 0.05) and among women was from cooking and table salt (2.6 ± 0.3 vs. 2.8 ± 0.3, P < 0.001). Lowest quartile (<25th percentile) intake of oral sodium consumption (2.4 ± 0.5 g/day) was higher than WHO safe recommendation level of <2 g/day. Late afternoon spot urine sodium content was used to predict 24-h sodium excretion (6.1 ± 0.5 g/day), in turn population level sodium intake estimation. Analyzed sodium content of most frequently consumed all ready to eat foods was found to be higher than the reported values.

Conclusion: There is a strong need of evidence-based guidelines and policy formulation for national salt reduction program in India.