Nutritional epidemiological study on mineral intake and mortality from cardiovascular disease

To clarify the relationship between mortality from cardiovascular disease and mineral intake in Japan, we performed statistical analysis on the intake of 4 minerals, magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) calculated from the National Nutritional Survey. Their association with age-adjusted mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD), cerebral hemorrhage (CH) and cerebral infarction (CI) during 15 years between 1971-1985 was examined. Ca/Mg ratio increased in all Japan. Mg intake, Na/K ratio and Na*Ca/K*Mg ratio decreased in all Japan. Geographical correlations among mineral intake were generally highly positive, and a high inverse correlation was observed between Na intake and Ca/Mg ratio. Mineral intake was closely correlated highly positively with mortality from CH and CI for almost all 15 years in men and women. Correlation between mortality from IHD and mineral intake was positively significant only in the period of 1971-75 in some cases. Principal component analysis using the intake in each food group showed the intake of all 4 minerals to be correlated highly with first principal component comprising the Japanese traditional diet. Thus, in Japan, it may be necessary to devise certain aspects of food intake such as lower Na in the Japanese traditional diet and additional Mg in the modern diet.