Abstract
Sodium/salt consumption is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Although global targets to reduce salt intake have been established, current levels and trends of sodium consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies in which sodium consumption was analyzed based on urine samples (24 h samples or otherwise). The search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Global Health, Scopus and LILACS. From 2350 results, 53 were studied in detail, of which 15 reports were included, providing evidence for 18 studies. Most studies were from Brazil (7/18) and six collected 24 h urine samples. In the random effects meta-analysis, 12 studies (29,875 people) were analyzed since 2010. The pooled mean 24 h estimated sodium consumption was 4.13 g/day (10.49 g/day of salt). When only national surveys were analyzed, the pooled mean was 3.43 g/day (8.71 g/day of salt); when only community studies were analyzed the pooled mean was 4.39 g/day (11.15 g/day of salt). Studies had low risk of bias. The estimated 24 h sodium consumption is more than twice the World Health Organization recommendations since 2010. Regional organizations and governments should strengthen policies and interventions to measure and reduce sodium consumption in LAC.
Highlights
High sodium and sodium chloride consumption is a risk factor for raised blood pressure [1] and cardiovascular diseases, [2,3] which are leading causes of death globally as well as inLatin America and the Caribbean [4]
The pooled mean 24 h sodium consumption was stratified by duration of urine sample collection (24 h versus otherwise) and by study scope
Including studies published since 2010, we conducted a meta-regression in which the dependent variable was 24 h sodium consumption and the independent predictors were study characteristics: sodium assessment method, duration of urine sample collection, mean age, proportion of men, proportion of people with hypertension, publication year, and study scope
Summary
High sodium and sodium chloride (regular salt) consumption is a risk factor for raised blood pressure [1] and cardiovascular diseases, [2,3] which are leading causes of death globally as well as in. Latin America and the Caribbean [4]. To reduce the burden of this risk factor, international organizations have established limits to its consumption: the American College of Cardiology/American Heart. Association suggests that sodium intake should be lower than 1.5 g/day, [5] while the World Health. Whether current levels or trends in Latin American and the Caribbean countries are close to or far above these limits, is largely unknown. Global efforts have aimed to quantify sodium consumption in all countries and territories, and estimates were made for 2010 [7]. A recent systematic review tried to update these estimates, yet they focused on national surveys in Nutrients 2020, 12, 556; doi:10.3390/nu12020556 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients
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