Twenty-four hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion in adult population of Slovenia

Objective:The objective of study was to assess 24-h urinary Na and K excretion and estimate the average salt and K intakes in a nationally representative sample of the adult population of Slovenia.Design:A nationally representative cross-sectional study was conducted in four stages between September and November 2022: study questionnaire, physical measurements, 24-h urine collection and laboratory analysis.Setting:Slovenia.Participants:We invited 2000 adult, non-institutionalised inhabitants of Slovenia, aged between 25 and 64 years. A stratified two-staged sample was selected from this population by the Statistical Office of Slovenia, using sampling from the Central Population Register. According to the WHO methodology, additional eligibility criteria were screened before participating. A total of 518 individuals participated in all four stages of the study, resulting in a response rate of 30 %.Results:The mean 24-h urinary Na excretion was 168 mmol/d (95 % CI 156, 180), which corresponds to a mean estimated intake of 10·3 g salt/d (95 % CI 9·6, 11·1). Mean 24-h urinary K excretion was 65·4 mmol/d (95 % CI 63·2, 67·5), and the estimated mean K intake was 2·93 g/d (95 % CI 2·84, 3·03). There were statistically significant differences in mean intakes between males and females. The mean sodium-to-potassium ratio was 2·7 (95 % CI 2·5, 2·8).Conclusions:The study results highlighted that the salt intake in the adult population of Slovenia remains much higher than recommended by the WHO, and K intakes are insufficient, as most participants did not meet the recommendations.