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Long-term effects of neonatal sodium restriction on blood pressure
J M Geleijnse1, A Hofman, J C Witteman
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. geleijnse@epib.fgg.eur.nl
Insights
Infant sodium intake impacts long-term blood pressure. A randomized trial found low sodium diets in infancy were associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure 15 years later.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Early life nutrition significantly influences long-term health outcomes.
- Infant diet, particularly sodium intake, is a potential determinant of cardiovascular health trajectory.
- Previous research indicated short-term blood pressure effects of infant sodium restriction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between infant sodium intake levels and blood pressure in adolescence.
- To determine if early-life dietary sodium restriction has lasting effects on blood pressure.
- To analyze blood pressure differences 15 years after a randomized controlled trial on infant diets.
Main Methods:
- A randomized trial initially assigned 476 Dutch newborns to low or normal sodium diets.
- Blood pressure was re-measured in 167 participants (35% of the original cohort) after 15 years.
- Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, adjusting for confounders.
Main Results:
- Children assigned to the low sodium group showed lower systolic blood pressure (3.6 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (2.2 mm Hg) at follow-up.
- These differences were statistically significant, with confidence intervals indicating a consistent effect.
- The initial trial showed a 2.1 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure in the low sodium group at 6 months.
Conclusions:
- Infant sodium intake is a critical factor influencing blood pressure levels in later life.
- Dietary sodium restriction during infancy may contribute to reduced cardiovascular risk in adolescence.
- Long-term follow-up of early life interventions is crucial for understanding developmental impacts on health.
Abstract:
In 1980, a randomized trial was conducted among 476 Dutch newborn infants to study the effect of a low or normal sodium diet on blood pressure during the first 6 months of life. At the end of the trial, systolic blood pressure in the low sodium group (n = 231) was 2.1 mm Hg lower than in the control group (n = 245). To investigate whether contrasting levels of sodium intake in infancy are associated with blood pressure differences in adolescence, we measured blood pressure in 167 children from the original cohort (35%) after 15 years of follow-up. We assessed the differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels between the diet groups using a multivariate regression model with adjustment for potential confounders. The adjusted systolic blood pressure at follow-up was 3.6 mm Hg lower (95% confidence interval, -6.6 to -0.5) and the diastolic pressure was 2.2 mm Hg lower (95% confidence interval, -4.5 to 0.2) in children who had been assigned to the low sodium group (n = 71) compared with the control group (n = 96). These findings suggest that sodium intake in infancy may be important in relation to blood pressure later in life.