Objective: To describe the age-standardized average intake of dietary sodium in Chinese adults of 18 years old and over in 2010-2012.
Methods: Data was from the China Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. A stratified multistage cluster sampling was used from 31 provinces( autonomous regions and municipalities) and selected 150 districts/counties. The sample was selected through the method of probability proportion to size( PPS). The sample participants were adults aged 18 and over. The average sodium intake was calculated based on dietary data collected using the method of 3 consecutive day edible oil and seasonings weighting and 3 days 24-hour dietary recall. The result were calculated using the complex weight based on national census from the National Bureau of Statistics in 2009.
Results: The mean intake of sodium was( 5335. 7 ± 95. 3)mg/d and it was higher for men(( 5744. 9 ± 117. 8) mg/d) than for women(( 4918. 9 ±79. 4) mg/d). The age groups of 40-49(( 5602. 3 ± 152. 7) mg/d), 50-59(( 5640. 0± 113. 8) mg/d) and 60-69(( 5363. 5 ± 100. 8) mg/d) had higher sodium intake than those of other age groups. The sodium intake among the adults in rural(( 5352. 3 ±121. 7) mg/d) area was similar with that of urban(( 5319. 5 ± 145. 9) mg/d). Overall, the mean intake of sodium in medium and small cities(( 5378. 4 ± 170. 3) mg/d), general rural(( 5369. 8 ± 142. 7) mg/d) and poor rural areas(( 5335. 9 ± 231. 6) mg/d) was similar while big city was lowest(( 4993. 8 ± 150. 3) mg/d).
Conclusion: In2010-2012, the mean sodium intake among Chinese adults was still in a very high level. It was necessary to monitor the population sodium intakes and the strategies should be developed to reduce national salt/sodium intakes.
Keywords: adult; dietary survey; sodium.