Salt Preference and Sodium Intake among Pregnant Women

Im, Mi Jeung; Cho, Dong Sook

doi:2016.22.4.297

Korean J Women Health Nurs > Volume 22(4); 2016 > Article

Original Article

Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing 2016;22(4):297-307.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2016.22.4.297 Published online December 27, 2016.

Salt Preference and Sodium Intake among Pregnant Women

Mi Jeung Im, Dong Sook Cho

¹Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University, Seoul, Korea.
²College of Nursing, Eulji University, Seongnam, Korea. chds@eulji.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to estimate salt preference and sodium intake of pregnant women, and identify the relationship between salt preference and sodium intake.
METHODS
Research design was a cross sectional correlational survey with 197 pregnant women who visited outpatient clinics for antenatal care. The sodium intake levels were estimated by the amounts of sodium intake using the 24-hour recall method and sodium concentration in spot urine. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation.
RESULTS
Sodium intake using 24-hour recall method was 3,504±1,359 mg. Sodium intake levels had statistically significant differences depending on income. The average amount of sodium in spot urine was 2,882±878mg/day. Sodium excretion levels had statistically significant differences depending on whether participants had preexisting hypertension in their family history and Body Mass Index (BMI) pre-conception. Salt preference was 62.61±20.96 out of 180 points. Salt preference had significant differences depending on income, parity, gestational age, BMI pre-conception and showed negative correlation with sodium quantity in spot urine.
CONCLUSION
Sodium intake in pregnant women recommended by World Health Organization recommended is 175%. Salt preference was not significantly different between sodium intake levels, however it was negatively correlated with sodium quantity in spot urine among pregnant women.

Key Words: Pregnant women; Sodium; Urine