title: Blood pressure and sodium intake from snacks in adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between sodium intake and arterial blood pressure (BP) values in adolescence is still controversial. The intake of high-sodium processed foods as snacks has gone up worldwide. The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to analyze the association between BP values and sodium intake from snacks.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mean weekly consumption of snacks was evaluated in 1200 randomly selected adolescents aged 11-13 years by a food-frequency questionnaire; their anthropometric and BP values were measured by trained researchers. A dietary 24-h food-recall questionnaire was randomly given to 400 of the 1200 adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean sodium intake from snacks was 1.4 g/day. Systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) significantly increased from the lower to the higher tertile of sodium from snacks and with increasing frequency of salty snacks consumption. In a multiple logistic regression model, both being in the highest SBP quartile and in the highest DBP quartile were significantly associated with the intake of sodium from snacks (odds ratio (OR)=1.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.91 and OR=2.17; 95% CI 1.68-2.79, respectively), the consumption of >2/day salty snacks (OR=1.86; 95% CI 1.32-2.63 and OR=2.38; 95% CI 1.69-3.37, respectively) and body mass index (OR=1.26; 95% CI 1.22-1.31 and OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.10-1.18, respectively) but not with age, sex or exercise levels. In the 400 individuals, the average total sodium intake was 3.1 g/day and was significantly higher in individuals belonging to the highest quartile of SBP and DBP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sodium intake from snacks was almost half of the average daily sodium consumption and was significantly associated with BP values in adolescents.
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ponzo
authors: Sport Medicine Institute of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: G P
authors: GP
authors: Ganzit
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Soldati
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: De Carli
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Fanzola
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Maiandi
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Durazzo
authors: Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Bo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012306:Risk; D062410:Snacks; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary