How much salt do adults consume in climate vulnerable coastal Bangladesh?

Evidence from numerous studies suggests that salt intake is an important determinant of elevated blood pressure. Robust data about salt consumption among adults in Bangladesh is sparse. However, much evidence suggests saline intrusion due to sea level rise as a result of climate change exposes more than 20 million people to adverse effects of salinity through the food and water supply. The objective of our study was to assess salt consumption among adults in a coastal region of Bangladesh.

Our study was cross sectional and conducted during October-November 2011. A single 24 hour urine was collected from 400 randomly selected individuals over 18 years of age from Chakaria, a rural, coastal area in Southeastern Bangladesh. Logistic regression was conducted to identify the determinants of high salt consumption.

The mean urinary sodium excretion was 115 mmol/d (6.8 g salt). Based on logistic regression using two different cutoff points (IOM and WHO), housewives and those living in the coastal area had a significantly higher probability of high salt intake compared with people who were engaged in labour-intensive occupations and who lived in hilly areas.

It is important to create awareness about the implication of excessive salt intake on health and to develop strategies for reducing salt intake that can be implemented at the community-level. A sustainable policy for salt reduction in the Bangladeshi diet should be formulated with special emphasis on coastal areas.