title: Dietary calcium lowers the age-related rise in blood pressure in the United States: the NHANES III survey.
abstract: This analysis of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) was designed to investigate the impact of dietary calcium intake on age-related changes in blood pressure and pulse pressure. Data on 17,030 participants 20 years or older (mean age, 48.8+/-0.2 years; 47% male, 42% Caucasian, and 28% African American) were used. Data included demographics, body mass index, blood pressure, and daily dietary calcium. Overall, average calcium intake was 761 mg/day. After adjusting for demographic and anthropomorphic variables, as well as total energy consumption, higher calcium intake was associated with lower rates of age-related increases of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure (p<0.001). If the calcium intake of the general population were to increase to above 1200 mg, the incidence of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly might be decreased.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Palmetto Health Alliance/University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29206, USA. ihab.Hajjar@palmettohealth.org
authors.forename: Ihab M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Hajjar
authors.forename: Clarence E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Grim
authors.forename: Theodore A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kotchen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary