Relation of blood pressure to reported intake of salt, saturated fats, and alcohol in healthy middle-aged population.

The association of blood pressure with reported intake of salt, saturated fats, and alcohol was studied in a sample of 8479 subjects based on a cross sectional survey in a population aged 30 to 64 years. A consistent association was found between the mean arterial pressure and the intake of alcohol (p less than 0.001) and saturated fats (p less than 0.01). There was also a weak association between blood pressure and dietary salt intake, but this association was mostly explained by the correlation of salt intake with alcohol and saturated fats. The observed relationships support the hypothesis that blood pressure is influenced by diet.