The status of sodium intake and excretion and the primary dietary sources of sodium in Iranian adults, a comprehensive pilot study.

Background: Coronary artery disease and hypertension are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, primarily due to high sodium intake. Therefore, accurate assessment of the status of sodium intake and excretion is crucial. The present study aimed to assess the dietary sodium intake and excretion in Iranian population.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 150 adults aged 20-65 years in Tehran, Iran. A 24-h dietary recall was used to measure the intake of sodium. A food frequency questionnaire was also used to identify the food items that contributed the highest amount of sodium in the diet. A 24-h urine collection was applied to assess the amount of sodium excretion.

Results: The mean of dietary sodium intake and sodium excreted in 24-h urine collections were 3888 ± 2931 mg/day and 125.2 ± 49 mmol/dl, respectively. Sodium intake and sodium excretion were significantly higher in men compared to women ( = 0.012 and  = 0.004, respectively). Traditional flatbreads were identified as the two main food sources contributing to dietary sodium intake, accounting for 31.2% of the total sodium intake from food sources. The average daily salt intake exceeded the recommended amount (5 g/day) in over 80% of the participants.

Conclusion: Sodium intake in a wide range of Iranian adults may be higher than the recommended values. Iranian flatbreads are the primary source of sodium intake In Iranian diets. If be confirmed in future studies, these results could help policymakers make decisions on reducing salt intake to prevent diseases associated with high salt consumption.