Increased Sodium Consumption Is Associated With Abdominal Obesity in Older Adults

Abstract

ObjectivesSodium intake has been widely studied for its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and blood pressure (BP) changes. Some studies have suggested that sodium intake is associated with an increased risk of obesity. Although BMI is a common measure of obesity, waist circumference (WC) may serve as a better predictor of increased obesity-related CVD risk. The objective of this study was to examine the association of measures of body fat distribution including body mass index (BMI), WC, waist to hip ratio (WHP), and waist to height ratio (WHT) with sodium intake and BP in older adults. MethodsOne hundred twenty-eight adults aged 65–80 were included in this cross-sectional study. Dietary data was collected through a food frequency questionnaire (110 food items). Anthropometric and BP measurements were also collected. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of obesity measures with sodium intake and BP levels. One-way ANOVA was used to determine differences in sodium and BP readings between BMI categories (Normal: 18.5–24.9; Overweight: 25.0–29.9 and Obese: 30.0 and above). ResultsWC and WHT were both significantly associated with sodium intake after controlling for age, gender, physical activity, and total calorie intake. Obese individuals consumed significantly more sodium than individuals with normal weight (2834 ± 974 mg in obese individuals; 2172 ± 840 mg in normal weight individuals; P = 0.044). BMI, WC, WHP, and WHT were significantly associated with systolic and diastolic BP. Mean systolic BP was significantly different between individuals with normal BMI and obese BMI (126 ± 16.5 mmHg in normal BMI; 139.7 ± 22.9 mmHg in obese BMI; P = 0.047). The mean diastolic BP showed a statistically significant difference between the normal BMI and overweight individuals (70.9 ± 10.4 mmHg in normal BMI; 79.3 ± 15.2 mmHg in overweight; P = 0.036) but not in obese individuals. ConclusionsHigher sodium consumption was significantly related with higher abdominal body fat mass as measured by WC and WHT in older adults. Higher BMI, WC, WHP, and WHT were also associated with systolic and diastolic BP levels. Our findings suggest that excessive sodium intake is an independent risk factor for obesity in older adults. Funding SourcesNone.