Dietary mineral intakes of rural midlife to older adult women with prehypertension in Midwestern United States.

Objectives: Midlife to older rural women with prehypertension are at increased risk for hypertension and its impact on cardiovascular health with advancing age. Because modification of dietary factors could help alleviate risk, the objective of this study was to explore calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium intakes of midlife to older rural women, with identification of their top food sources.

Design: Survey of baseline dietary intake data of women and comparison to standard recommendations.

Setting: Rural Midwestern United States.

Participants: 289 rural women, age 40-69, with prehypertension who volunteered for lifestyle modification to reduce blood pressure.

Measurements: Baseline nutrition data using the Block Health Habit and History Questionnaire were collected over a twelve-month rolling enrollment period from rural women with prehypertension. Mineral intakes were calculated and compared to recommended standards. Top ten foods contributing to each mineral were identified.

Results: The percent of women who met the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)/Adequate Intake (AI) recommendations for their age groups ranged from a high 42.9% for magnesium to a low of 4.2% for potassium. Mean intakes of calcium, magnesium and potassium were all below recommended levels and sodium intakes were above recommendation.

Conclusion: Midlife to older rural US women with prehypertension were eating some of the foods that would help them meet mineral recommendations. As a preventive approach to reducing hypertension risk, clinical practice could include advising on ways to increase both commonly and less commonly consumed nutrient-rich foods with awareness of what is typically available in the rural area.