Interaction of Dietary Sodium-to-potassium Ratio and Dinner Energy Ratio on Prevalence of Hypertension in Inner Mongolia, China

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases, and dietary factors play an important role in hypertension. We examined the interaction of dietary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio and dinner energy ratio on hypertension. METHODS: We conducted this study using data from the cross-sectional National Survey for Nutrition and Adult Chronic Disease in 2015 in Inner Mongolia, China. Dietary data were collected using 24-hour diet records with food weights across 3 consecutive days. Logistic regression was used to determine the interaction of dinner energy ratio and dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 1,861 participants were included in this study, and 914 individuals were hypertensive (49.1%). Dinner energy ratio and high dietary Na/K ratio were independently related to high prevalence of hypertension. A formal test showed that dinner energy ratio interacted significantly with dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension (P < 0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.119 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.040–1.203). Participants whose dinner energy ratio greater than 39.1% and dietary Na/K ratio of 3.625–6.053 had the highest OR of hypertension prevalence, with an adjusted OR of 2.984 (95% CI, 1.758–5.066), compared with participants with dinner energy ratio of 30.2–39.1%, and dietary Na/K ratio less than 2.348. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted the interactive effect of dinner energy ratio and dietary Na/K ratio on hypertension among adults in Inner Mongolia. We advocated a balanced diet (dinner energy ratio not small or large) and a low dietary Na/K ratio for reducing the prevalence of hypertension.