title: A large-scale cluster randomized trial to determine the effects of community-based dietary sodium reduction--the China Rural Health Initiative Sodium Reduction Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in China. High blood pressure caused by excess intake of dietary sodium is widespread and an effective sodium reduction program has potential to improve cardiovascular health.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a large-scale, cluster-randomized, trial done in five Northern Chinese provinces. Two counties have been selected from each province and 12 townships in each county making a total of 120 clusters. Within each township one village has been selected for participation with 1:1 randomization stratified by county. The sodium reduction intervention comprises community health education and a food supply strategy based upon providing access to salt substitute. Subsidization of the price of salt substitute was done in 30 intervention villages selected at random. Control villages continued usual practices. The primary outcome for the study is dietary sodium intake level estimated from assays of 24-hour urine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The trial recruited and randomized 120 townships in April 2011. The sodium reduction program was commenced in the 60 intervention villages between May and June of that year with outcome surveys scheduled for October to December 2012. Baseline data collection shows that randomisation achieved good balance across groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The establishment of the China Rural Health Initiative has enabled the launch of this large-scale trial designed to identify a novel, scalable strategy for reduction of dietary sodium and control of blood pressure. If proved effective, the intervention could plausibly be implemented at low cost in large parts of China and other countries worldwide.
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health at Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lijing L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wenyi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Darwin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Labarthe
authors.forename: Xiangxian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jingpu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ruijuan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neiman
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engelgau
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Yangfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002681:China; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012423:Rural Health; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium