title: The feasibility of meeting the WHO guidelines for sodium and potassium: a cross-national comparison study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine joint compliance with the WHO sodium-potassium goals in four different countries, using data from nationally representative dietary surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Compared to national and international recommendations and guidelines, the world's population consumes too much sodium and inadequate amounts of potassium. The WHO recommends consuming less than 2000 mg sodium (86 mmol) and at least 3510 mg potassium (90 mmol) per person per day.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary surveillance data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2007-2010) for the USA; the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición 2012 for Mexico; the Individual and National Study on Food Consumption (INCA2) for France; and the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) for the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the proportion of adults meeting the joint WHO sodium-potassium goals in the USA, the UK, France and Mexico.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The upper bounds of joint compliance with the WHO sodium-potassium goals were estimated at 0.3% in the USA, 0.15% in Mexico, 0.5% in France and 0.1% in the UK.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given prevailing food consumption patterns and the current food supply, implementing WHO guidelines will be an enormous challenge for global public health.
authors: Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Institute for Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpetrière, Paris, France.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Drewnowski
authors: Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Colin D
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7644-0040
authors: CD
authors: Rehm
authors: MS-Nutrition SAS, Marseille, France.
authors: Matthieu
authors: M
authors: Maillot
authors: Center for Public Health Nutrition, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Departamento de Ciencias Sociales, Centro de Investigación e Inteligencia Económica, Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.
authors: Alfonso
authors: A
authors: Mendoza
authors: The Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Monsivais
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005602:France; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011634:Public Health; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012982:Sodium, Dietary
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; PUBLIC HEALTH