High-salt diet hastens vascular ageing in kids

Increased levels of dietary sodium (Na) intake and load (Na-L) appear to cause arterial stiffness, a preclinical measure of cardiovascular disease (CVD), in children and young adults, according to a study.

A total of 723 individuals enrolled in a study evaluating the cardiovascular effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus participated in this cross-sectional analysis. The authors assessed the three measures of arterial stiffness: brachial distensibility (BrachD), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV_cf), and augmentation index (AIx). Three-day diet histories yielded mean daily sodium and calorie intake.

Participants were divided into Na-L tertiles: low (≤1.67 mg/kcal per day), medium (1.68–1.98 mg/kcal per day), and high (>1.98 mg/kcal per day). The authors used general linear models, adjusting for demographics, body fat percentage, T2DM, and systolic blood pressure z-score to examine the independent association of Na-L with arterial stiffness.

The children and young adults (mean age 17.9 years, 35 percent male, 59 percent non-White, and 31 percent had T2DM) included in this study had the following mean dietary intakes: calories, 2,074 kcal/day; Na, 3.793 g/day; Na-L, 1.86 mg/kcal per day.

Higher levels of dietary Na intake and Na-L were associated with worse arterial stiffness measures: BrachD decreased (Na intake: β, ‒0.09; p<0.003; Na-L: β, ‒0.28; p<0.0001), PWV_cf increased (Na intake: β, 0.07; p=0.007; Na-L: β, 0.21; p<0.0001), but AIx did not change (Na intake: β, −0.4; p=0.2; Na-L: β, 0.89; p=0.11).

Multivariable analysis revealed the independent association of high Na-L with BrachD, PWV_cf, and AIx (p<0.05 for all), with age modifying the association of High Na-L with PWV_cf and AIx.

“Paediatricians should stress healthy dietary choices to reduce accelerated vascular ageing,” the authors said.