Sodium and potassium intakes and blood pressure in Chinese adults in Hong Kong: A comparison with southern China.

The ranges of sodium and potassium intake and their relationship to blood pressure were studied in 126 healthy Chinese subjects (42 men, 84 women) aged between 20 and 65 years living in Hong Kong. An average of three blood pressure measurements and one to three 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium outputs were used to characterize an individual's blood pressure, and sodium and potassium intake, respectively. The average sodium and potassium intakes were 145 and 40 mmol/day in men and 135 and 41 mmol/day in women. When compared with subjects of similar age in southern China, Chinese in Hong Kong excreted 20% less sodium but 40% more potassium and had a lower systolic blood pressure (113 vs 118 mmHg in men, 106 vs 112 mmHg in women). It should be remembered that the Hong Kong subjects were heavier and were under more urban stress, both of which would be expected to be associated with higher blood pressure. The findings from this pilot study are compatible with a positive association between sodium intake and blood pressure and/or an inverse association between potassium intake and blood pressure.