Estimated Average 24‐h Urine Sodium Excretion in US Children

Abstract

In 2009–2010, US children aged 6–11 y and 12–19 y consumed an estimated average 2971 mg/d and 3563 mg/d of dietary sodium, respectively, which is above the 2010 Dietary Guideline of 2300 mg/d. To our knowledge, no nationally representative published data exist on urine sodium excretion in youth 6–19 y. We measured sodium levels in 306 spot urine samples of children 6–19 y participating in NHANES 2010. Due to the lack of calibration equations for children, we estimated 24‐h urine sodium (24hUNa) excretion by use of equations validated for adults living in the United States. Mean (SEM) estimated 24hUNa excretion was 2635 (127) mg/d and 2952 (72) mg/d for 6–11 y and 12–19 y old children, respectively. Estimated 24hUNa excretion was significantly higher among boys, 12–19 y olds, and overweight or obese youth, but did not vary by race‐ethnicity. The directions of the patterns in mean 24hUNa excretion by demographic group were the same as mean dietary sodium intake (based on one 24‐h recall). Spearman correlation between 24hUNa excretion and dietary sodium intake was weak (r=0.26, P=0.0001). Mean estimated 24hUNa excretion was >20% lower than mean dietary sodium intake among normal weight youth, non‐Hispanic white youth, 12–19 y olds, and girls. These differences may be a result of problems with the calibration equation or of misreported dietary intake. These 24hUNa excretion estimates from spot urine samples are consistent with dietary data and suggest that on average, US children consume too much sodium in relation to recommendations