Low awareness of high sodium intake among older Chinese people.

Awareness is one of the first steps in a lifestyle modification process. Since older adults are at a higher risk of hypertension, maintaining low sodium intake is of utmost importance. Yet, it is uncertain if older adults have an awareness of their sodium intake. This study aimed to explore self-perceived sodium intake among older Chinese people and compare it with various measures of sodium intake. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong in 2015. Data were collected from 24-h urinary sodium excretion (UNa24) measurements, dietary sodium intake by 24-h diet recalls and self-perceived salt intake levels among the older Hong Kong population. Kappa statistics and a paired t-test were used to compare the different measures. Fifty-nine participants provided complete 24-h urine samples. The mean ( ± SD) UNa24 of participants was 2846 ± 1253 mg, of which 74.6% exceeded the recommended daily sodium intake. About 87.8% of participants...