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  • Original Article
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Sodium intake in infancy and blood pressure at 7 years: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Abstract

Background:

Infancy may be a sensitive period regarding effects of sodium intake on future blood pressure (BP). This has only been demonstrated in one randomized trial of low sodium formulae with follow-up in adolescence in one-third of participants.

Objective:

To prospectively assess associations between sodium intake in infancy and BP at 7 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

Subjects:

A total of 533 children with sodium data at 4 months and 710 children with sodium at 8 months.

Results:

0.4% of participants at 4 months and 73.0% at 8 months exceeded recommended levels for infant sodium intake. After minimal adjustment (child age, sex, energy), sodium intake at 4 months was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 7 years (β=0.54 mm Hg/mmol; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.98 mm Hg; P=0.02). This changed little following adjustment for confounders but attenuated after adjusting for breastfeeding. This association was not mediated by sodium intake at 7 years. Due to high sodium–potassium correlations, effects of sodium independent of potassium could not be estimated with reasonable precision. Sodium intake neither at 8 months nor at 7 years was associated with SBP at 7 years.

Conclusion:

The association between sodium intake at 4 months and future SBP requires replication in studies that can control for effects of potassium before we can conclude that early infancy is a sensitive period with respect to effects of sodium on future BP. The majority of infants exceeded recommended levels of sodium intake at 8 months, and interventions to reduce sodium in infants' diets should be considered.

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Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study, the midwives for their help in recruiting them and the whole ALSPAC team, which includes interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists and nurses. The UK Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. Marie-Jo Brion is jointly funded by the Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme and the University of Bristol. Debbie A Lawlor is supported by a UK Department of Health Career Scientist Award. None of us had any financial or personal interest in any of the companies or organizations sponsoring this research. Contents of this article represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the funding bodies or anyone else listed in these acknowledgements.

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Brion, MJ., Ness, A., Davey Smith, G. et al. Sodium intake in infancy and blood pressure at 7 years: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1162–1169 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602837

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