Dietary sodium intake deleteriously affects blood pressure in a normotensive population

Western dietary pattern, and particularly high dietary sodium intake (DSI), is recognized for its detrimental impact on blood pressure (BP). This paper examined the association of DSI with BP in Nunavik Inuit (Quebec), a population known to have an optimal BP on average. In a population-based study, we recruited 421 normotensive participants aged 18–74 years from 14 coastal villages, situated north of the 55th parallel. BP, biochemistry and anthropometry were obtained. DSI was assessed by a 24-h dietary recall. Mean (s.e.) DSI was higher in men than in women (2358 (101) vs 1702 (100) mg/d, P<0.0001). Similar gender difference was found in systolic BP (118 (0.7) vs 111 (0.6) mm Hg; P<0.0001). After adjustment for confounders, we found a positive association between BP and DSI (all P<0.05). In a normotensive population, BP shows a linear relationship with DSI. Our results emphasize the potent deleterious impact of DSI on BP.