Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

A cross-sectional study on association of calcium intake with blood pressure in Japanese population

Abstract

To investigate the association of calcium intake independently of other nutrients already known as predictors of hypertension, a cross-sectional study was carried out on the same population in Japan as used for the INTERSALT study. Dietary calcium intake was estimated from a 1-day 24-h recall. Sodium and potassium intakes were evaluated by 24-h urinary excretion. Data from 476 subjects aged 20–59 years, 230 men and 246 women, were analysed. The mean dietary calcium intake ranged from 557 to 608 mg/day among men, and from 528 to 639 mg/day among women. Among men, the pooled estimate of the regression coefficients of blood pressure (mm Hg) per 100 mg increase of calcium intake, adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI), were −0.42 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and −0.35 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP), but there was no statistical significance. Among women, the pooled estimates of regression coefficients adjusted for age and BMI were −0.92 mm Hg for SBP and −0.83 mm Hg for DBP with statistical significance. After adjustment for age, BMI, alcohol intake and urinary excretion of sodium and potassium, the pooled estimate of calcium intake was −0.66 mm Hg for DBP with statistical significance and − 0.70 mm Hg for SBP. A significant negative association of calcium intake with blood pressure was observed among the subjects in Osaka. Our study suggests that increased calcium intake may provide a benefit of lowering blood pressure independently of other minerals such as sodium and potassium.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pryer J, Cappuccio FP, Elliot P . Dietary calcium and blood pressure: a review of the observational studies J Hum Hypertens 1995 9: 597–604

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Geleinjnse JM, Grobbee DE . Calcium intake and blood pressure: an update J Cardiovasc Risk 2000 7: 23–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cappuccio FP et al. Epidemiological association between dietary calcium intake and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of published data Am J Epidemiol 1995 142: 935–945

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Birkett NJ . Comments on a meta-analysis of the relation between dietary calcium intake and blood pressure Am J Epidemiol 1998 148: 223–228

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ackley S, Barret-Connor E, Suarez L . Dairy products, calcium and blood pressure Am J Clin Nutr 1983 38: 457–461

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kromhout S, Bosschieter EB, Coulander CDL . Potassium, calcium, alcohol intake and blood pressure: the Zutphen Study Am J Clin Nutr 1985 41: 1299–1304

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Joffres MR, Reed DM, Yano K . Relationship of magnesium intake and other dietary factors to blood pressure: the Honolulu Heart Study Am J Clin Nutr 1987 45: 469–475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. He J et al. Relation of electrolytes to blood pressure in men: the Yi People Study Hypertension 1991 17: 378–385

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Elliott P, Fehily AM, Sweetnam PM, Yarnell JWG . Diet, alcohol, body mass, and social factors in relation to blood pressure: the Caerphilly Heart Study J Epidemiol Comm Health 1987 41: 37–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Iso H et al. Calcium intake and blood pressure in seven Japanese populations Am J Epidemiol 1991 133: 776–783

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gruchow HW, Sobocinski KA, Barboriak JJ . Alcohol, nutrient intake and hypertension in US adults JAMA 1985 253: 1567–1570

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hamet P et al. Interactions among calcium, sodium and alcohol intake as determinants of blood pressure Hypertension 1991 17: 1150–1154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sempos C et al. Dietary calcium and blood pressure in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys I and II Hypertension 1986 8: 1067–1074

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Geleinjinse JM et al. Dietary electrolyte intake and blood pressure in older subjects: the Rotterdam Study J Hypertens 1996 14: 737–741

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Van Leer EM, Seidell JC, Kromhout D . Dietary calcium, potassium, magnesium and blood pressure in the Netherlands Int J Epidemiol 1995 24: 1117–1123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tan HC et al. Associations between blood pressure and dietary intake and urinary electrolytes in a Chinese population J Hypertens 1995 13: 49–56

    Google Scholar 

  17. INTERSALT Cooperative Research Group. Intersalt: an international study of electrolyte excretion and blood pressure. Results for 24 hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion Br Med J 1988 297: 319–328

  18. Dyer AR, Elliott P on behalf of the INTERSALT Co-operative Research Group. The Intersalt study: relation of body mass index to blood pressure J Hum Hypertens 1989 3: 299–308

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Marmot MG et al. Alcohol and blood pressure: the INTERSALT study BMJ 1994 308: 1263–1267

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Hashimot T et al. Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, body mass index, alcohol intake and blood pressure in three Japanese populations J Hum Hypertens 1989 3: 315–521

    Google Scholar 

  21. Nakagawa H et al. Trends in blood pressure and urinary sodium and potassium excretion in Japan, reinvestigation in the 8th year after the Intersalt study J Hum Hypertens 1999 13: 735–741

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. The INTERSALT Co-operative Research Group. INTERSALT Study, An international co-operative study on the relation of blood pressure to electrolyte excretion in population. 1. Design and methods J Hypertens 1986 4: 781–787

  23. Hashimoto T et al. Validity of the estimates of dietary salt intake from excretion of sodium in 24 hour urine Jpn J Pub Health 1986 33: 357–364 (English abstract)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Liu K et al. Assessment of the association between habitual salt intake and high blood pressure: methodological problems Am J Epidemiol 1979 110: 219–224

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sempos CT et al. Effects of individual variation in repeated dietary records Am J Epidemiol 1985 121: 120–130

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Beaton GH et al. Source of variance in 24-hour dietary recall data: implications for nutrition study design and interpretation. Carbohydrate sources, vitamins and minerals Am J Clin Nutr 1983 37: 986–995

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hamet P et al. Epidemiological evidence of an interaction between calcium and sodium intake impacting on blood pressure Am J Hypertens 1992 5: 378–385

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant-in-aid for scientific research (03354018) from Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H Nakagawa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Morikawa, Y., Nakagawa, H., Okayama, A. et al. A cross-sectional study on association of calcium intake with blood pressure in Japanese population. J Hum Hypertens 16, 105–110 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001314

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001314

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links