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. 2019 Aug 29;113(3):392-399.
doi: 10.5935/abc.20190157. eCollection 2019.

Salt Preference is Linked to Hypertension and not to Aging

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Affiliations

Salt Preference is Linked to Hypertension and not to Aging

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Patrícia Teixeira Meirelles Villela et al. Arq Bras Cardiol. .

Abstract

Background: Seasoning is one of the recommended strategies to reduce salt in foods. However, only a few studies have studied salt preference changes using seasoning.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare preference for salty bread, and if seasoning can change preference in hypertensive and normotensive, young and older outpatients.

Methods: Outpatients (n = 118) were classified in four groups: older hypertensive subjects (OH) (n = 32), young hypertensive (YH) (n = 25); older normotensive individuals (ON) (n = 28), and young normotensive (YN) (n = 33). First, volunteers random tasted bread samples with three different salt concentrations. After two weeks, they tasted the same types of breads, with seasoning added in all. Blood pressure (BP), 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion (UNaV, UKV) were measured twice. Analysis: Fisher exact test, McNamer's test and ANCOVA. Statistical significance: p < 0.05.

Results: Systolic BP, UNaV, and UKV were greater in HO and HY and they had a higher preference for saltier samples than normotensive groups (HO: 71.9%, HY: 56% vs. NO: 25%, NY; 6%, p<0.01). With oregano, hypertensive individuals preferred smaller concentrations of salt, with reduced choice for saltier samples (HO: 71.9% to 21.9%, and HY: 56% to 16%, p = 0.02), NO preferred the lowest salt concentration sample (53.6% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.01), and NY further increased the preference for the lowest one (63.6% vs. 39.4%, p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Older and younger hypertensive individuals prefer and consume more salt than normotensive ones, and the seasoned bread induced all groups to choose food with less salt. Salt preference is linked to hypertension and not to aging in outpatients.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of the preference for bread samples among hypertensive volunteers in the first experiment, without the addition of oregano. 0: did not perceive a difference; 1: preferred the sample with 1.5% salt; 2: preferred the sample with 2.0% salt; 3: preferred the sample with 2.7% salt.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of the preference for bread samples among normotensive volunteers in the first experiment, without the addition of oregano. 0: did not perceive a difference; 1: preferred the sample with 1.5% salt; 2: preferred the sample with 2.0% salt; 3: preferred the sample with 2.7% salt.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of the preference for bread samples among hypertensive volunteers in the second experiment, with the addition of oregano. 0: did not perceive a difference; 1: preferred the sample with 1.5% salt; 2: preferred the sample with 2.0% salt; 3: preferred the sample with 2.7% salt.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution of the preference for bread samples among normotensive volunteers in the second experiment, with the addition of oregano.0: did not perceive a difference; 1: preferred the sample with 1.5% salt; 2: preferred the sample with 2.0% salt; 3: preferred the sample with 2.7% salt.

Comment in

  • Salt Appetite and Aging.
    Amodeo C. Amodeo C. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2019 Oct 10;113(3):400. doi: 10.5935/abc.20190186. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2019. PMID: 31621779 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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