This study aims to examine association between sodium intake and overweight/obesity among Chinese children and adolescents. Data were obtained from China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance (CNNHS), 2010-2012. All participants recruited in this study aged 7-18 years old and provided complete dietary data on three-day consecutive 24 h dietary recalls combining with the household weighing method. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to define overweight/obesity, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was used to define abdominal obesity. Sodium intake showed association with risk of overweight/obesity assessed by BMI in the highest tertile group with OR of 1.48 (95%CI 1.13-1.94) and 1.89 (95%CI 1.33-2.67) for WHtR. After adjusted for gender, age, household income, area, energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, and fiber intake, the relationship between sodium intake and overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity are not changed. The same results were founded in subjects aged 10-18 years old. Our results reveal a positive association between sodium intake and overweight/obesity in Chinese children and adolescents, independent of energy consumption.
Keywords: Chinese children and adolescent; obesity; overweight; sodium; sodium density.