Objective: To analyze the status of dietary sodium intake of 18 - 65 years old Chinese people in nine provinces (autonomous region) in 1991 and 2006.
Methods: In 1991 and 2006, China Health and Nutrition Survey was carried out in nine provinces, including Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi and Guizhou, Subjects were selected by multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method from 18 - 65 years old people and 8235 subjects in 1991 and 7788 subjects in 2006. Sodium intake analysis was conducted across gender, regions and rural(urban) residences.
Results: On average, sodium intake decreased from (6750.6 ± 3771.5) mg/d in 1991 to (4949.7 ± 2829.4) mg/d in 2006 (Z = -35.5, P < 0.01) among the 18 - 65 years old people. In 1991 and 2006, the main sources of dietary sodium were salt, soy sauce and vegetable. In 1991, the proportion were 79.6% ((5375.6 ± 3532) mg/d), 8.7% ((586.7 ± 721.7) mg/d) and 7.5% ((506.9 ± 906.1) mg/d), respectively. In 2006, the proportion were 71.5% ((3539.8 ± 2545) mg/d), 8.3% ((410.7 ± 547.9) mg/d) and 6.2% ((304.6 ± 610.7) mg/d), respectively.
Conclusions: Among 18 - 65 years old residents, sodium intake in 2006 was significantly lower than that in 1991, but still far beyond the 2200 mg/d of adequate intake level (2200 mg/d). The major source of sodium intake in Chinese diet was condiments.