BMI May Have Greater Impact on Blood Pressure Than Sodium

Increased body mass index is greater associated with an increase in blood pressure compared to sodium intake, according to a recent study.

In the past, researchers have attributed high amounts of sodium in the diet to increased risk of hypertension. For the NutriNet-Sante Study, investigators examined the impact of nutrition and other life-style factors on the individual’s blood pressure levels.
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For the cross-sectional analyses, researchers evaluated data from 8670 participants. Investigators gathered life-style information of participants through questionnaires and 3 different blood pressure readings.

Investigators further monitored dietary consumption of individuals through 3 separate records based on a 24-hour period. They adjusted for age, lifestyle habits, and systolic blood pressure.

The results showed that body mass index had the greatest effect on raising blood pressure, while salt intake showed no significant contribution.

Investigators also noted that dietary habits such as fruit and vegetable consumption significantly lowered blood pressure.

The complete study is published in the September issue of American Journal of Hypertension.

-Michelle Canales

Reference:

Lelong H, Galan P, Kesse-Guyot E, et al. Relationship between nutrition and blood pressure: a cross-sectional analysis from the Nutrinet-Sante study, a French web-based cohort study. AM J Hypertens. 2014 Sept [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpu164.