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Current daily salt intake in Germany: biomarker-based analysis of the representative DEGS study

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Abstract

Purpose

A high dietary salt intake is a serious risk factor for the development of hypertension. Daily salt intake in most of the European countries substantially exceeds the current recommendations of salt intake. For Germany, so far, no valid biomarker-based data on current daily salt intake are available.

Methods

Data basis for this biomarker-based estimation of salt intake in the German population was the representative DEGS Study (German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults) conducted 2008–2011 in 18–79 old adults living in Germany. Daily salt intake was estimated from 6,962 sodium and creatinine measurements in spot urine samples.

Results

Median estimated daily salt intake of the 18–79 olds was 10.0 g in men and 8.4 g in women. More than 75 % of men and about 70 % of women exceeded the current recommendation of a maximum salt intake of 6 g/day. Fifty percentage of men and more than 35 % of the women had a daily salt intake >10 g.

Conclusion

Daily salt intake of the German population considerably exceeds the current recommendation to eat no more than 6 g salt per day. A general reduction of salt content in processed foods—which are currently the main source of salt intake—offers a promising and cost-effective potential for the improvement of all salt intake-dependent health outcomes in the population.

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Acknowledgments

The present examination was financially supported by grant of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) through the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) to Prof. Dr. Thomas Remer, grant number 2813HS013. DEGS1 is primarily funded by the German Ministry of Health (BMG). The physiologically based data analysis was particularly encouraged by the metabolic expertise of the DONALD Study Centre’s laboratory staff specialized on renal physiology.

Conflict of interest

The authors have nothing to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, DONALD Study Centre Dortmund, Branch Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    S. A. Johner & T. Remer

  2. Central Epidemiology Laboratory, Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany

    M. Thamm

  3. Health of Children and Adolescents, Prevention Concepts, Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany

    R. Schmitz

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  1. S. A. Johner
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  2. M. Thamm
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  4. T. Remer
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Correspondence to T. Remer.

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Johner, S.A., Thamm, M., Schmitz, R. et al. Current daily salt intake in Germany: biomarker-based analysis of the representative DEGS study. Eur J Nutr 54, 1109–1115 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0787-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0787-8

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