Importance of salt in determining blood pressure in children: meta-analysis of controlled trials
- PMID: 17000923
- DOI: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000245672.27270.4a
Importance of salt in determining blood pressure in children: meta-analysis of controlled trials
Abstract
To assess the effect of reducing salt intake on blood pressure in children, we carried out a meta-analysis of controlled trials. Trials were included if participants were children (< or = 18 years), and duration of salt reduction must have been for > or = 2 weeks. Mean effect size was calculated using a fixed-effect model, because there was no significant heterogeneity. Ten trials of children and adolescents with 966 participants were included (median age: 13 years; range: 8 to 16 years; median duration: 4 weeks; range: 2 weeks to 3 years). Salt intake was reduced by 42% (interquartile range [IQR]: 7% to 58%). There were significant reductions in blood pressure: systolic: -1.17 mm Hg (95% CI: -1.78 to -0.56 mm Hg; P<0.001); diastolic: -1.29 mm Hg (95% CI: -1.94 to -0.65 mm Hg; P<0.0001). Three trials of infants with 551 participants were included (median duration: 20 weeks; range: 8 weeks to 6 months). Salt intake was reduced by 54% (IQR: 51% to 79%). There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure: -2.47 mm Hg (95% CI: -4.00 to -0.94 mm Hg; P<0.01). This is the first meta-analysis of salt reduction in children, and it demonstrates that a modest reduction in salt intake causes immediate falls in blood pressure and, if continued, may well lessen the subsequent rise in blood pressure with age. This would result in major reductions in cardiovascular disease. These results in conjunction with other evidence provide strong support for a reduction in salt intake in children.
Comment in
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Salt reduction for preventing hypertension and cardiovascular disease: a population approach should include children.Hypertension. 2006 Nov;48(5):818-9. doi: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000245673.93844.6d. Epub 2006 Oct 2. Hypertension. 2006. PMID: 17015775 Review. No abstract available.
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Salt intake in children: increasing concerns?Hypertension. 2007 Feb;49(2):e10; author reply e11. doi: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000254351.05482.40. Epub 2006 Dec 18. Hypertension. 2007. PMID: 17178977 No abstract available.
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