High-sodium food choices by southern, urban African Americans with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Sodium restriction is important in the management of heart failure (HF). Although many low-sodium educational resources are available, few are directed specifically at urban African Americans.


RESULTS
A registered dietitian prospectively interviewed 50 African-American and 25 white patients in an urban public hospital (derivation cohort) in Dallas, TX, using a food-frequency instrument that listed 146 food choices. Foods >300 mg sodium/serving consumed at least weekly by 50% of an ethnic group were classified as being a high-sodium core food for that group. Classification of foods (core or not core) was validated in a second African-American cohort (n = 144). Five high-sodium food choices were classified as core food in both the derivation and validation African-American cohorts (salt in cooking, canned vegetables, cheese, processed meats, and cold cereal) and another 3 when the derivation and validation cohorts were combined (fast food, fried chicken, and corn bread). Four of these 8 foods were not classified as core foods in whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Eight high-sodium foods were frequently consumed by southern, urban African Americans with heart failure. Several of these foods were not commonly consumed by whites, emphasizing the need to be sensitive to ethnic differences in dietary habits when educating patients about sodium intake.
Kollipara
Usha K
UK
Parkland Memorial Hospital, and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
Mo
Vivian
V
Toto
Kathleen H
KH
Nelson
Lauren L
LL
Schneider
Ruth A
RA
Neily
Jennifer B
JB
Drazner
Mark H
MH
D044383:Black People; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
D012982:Sodium, Dietary