Impact of an Innovative Equipment to Monitor and Control Salt Usage during Cooking at Home on Salt Intake and Blood Pressure—Randomized Controlled Trial iMC SALT

(1) Background: Excessive salt consumption is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and it is essential to reduce it to the level recommended by the World Health Organization (<5 g/day). The main objective of this study is to verify the impact of an intervention, which used the Salt Control H equipment to reducing salt consumption; (2) Methods: The study was an 8-week randomized control trial with 114 workers from a public university. The intervention group (n = 57) used the equipment to monitor and control the use of salt during cooking (Salt Control H) at home for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was 24 h urinary sodium excretion as a proxy of salt intake. Secondary outcomes included changes in 24 h urinary potassium excretion, sodium to potassium ratio (Na:K), and blood pressure. (3) Results: There was a decrease in sodium intake after the intervention but with no statistical significance. When analyzing the results by sex and hypertension status, there was a reduction in sodium (−1009 (−1876 to −142), p = 0.025) and in Na:K ratio (−0.9 (−1.5 to −0.3), p = 0.007) in hypertensive men in the intervention group. (4) Conclusions: Interventions with dosage equipment can be valid approaches in individual salt reduction strategies, especially in hypertensive men.

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Innovative equipments to monitor and control salt usage during culinary

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.583 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

C Gonçalves ◽

O Pinho ◽

P Padrão ◽

T Silva-Santos ◽

S Abreu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salt Intake ◽

Salt Content ◽

Clinical Intervention ◽

Health Impact ◽

Salt Reduction ◽

Salt Consumption ◽

Catering Industry ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

At Home

Abstract Issue In Portugal, most of the salt consumed comes from the salt added during preparation/cooking. Therefore, it is urgent to introduce mechanisms to allow the quantification of the salt in foods, and the salt added during culinary. Description of the Problem To tackle salt reduction, we considered: having a portable and user-friendly instrument that measure salt content of foods; and controlling the amount of salt added to foods during culinary, assessing its impact on health. The first project was SALT QUANTI (co-funded by NORTE 2020), promoted by a consortium between EVOLEO Technologies and the University of Porto (finished in September 2018, duration 18 months); its major deliverable was to obtain a prototype of a portable device and the analytical procedure that enabled the analysis of salt content in foods/meals produced in catering kitchens, in less than 5 minutes. The second project was iMC SALT (supported by FCT, Grant POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029269), started in July 2018 (duration 36 months), aiming to develop prototypes for controlling the amount of salt added to foods during culinary, at home and catering, according international recommendations; one clinical intervention to assess the impact on health of the prototype at home is underway. Results The SALT QUANTI and iMC SALT prototypes showed good results in validation tests. The preliminary results of the health impact of the iMC SALT prototype will be presented at the conference. Lessons The implementation of innovative equipments to help consumers and catering industry to monitor or control the addition of salt during preparation of food or cooking are expected to be available soon and to be useful to consumers and catering industry to reduce salt intake. Key messages Innovative equipments may contribute to estimate salt in foods, and to reduce salt added during culinary. The implementation of an equipment to control culinary salt could be one valid approach to reduce salt consumption with impact on health.

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Salt intake and blood pressure in Iranian children and adolescents: a population-based study

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-021-01876-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Hassan Emamian ◽

Hossein Ebrahimi ◽

Hassan Hashemi ◽

Akbar Fotouhi

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Salt Intake ◽

Daily Intake ◽

Population Based ◽

World Health ◽

Second Phase ◽

Salt Consumption ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background Previous studies have reported a high prevalence of hypertension in Iranian students, especially in rural areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the daily intake of salt in students and its association with high blood pressure. Methods A random sub-sample was selected from the participants of the second phase of Shahroud schoolchildren eye cohort study and then a random urine sample was tested for sodium, potassium and creatinine. Urine electrolyte esexcretion and daily salt intake were calculated by Tanaka et al.’s formula. Results Among 1455 participants (including 230 participants from rural area and 472 girls), the mean age was 12.9 ± 1.7 year and the mean daily salt intake was 9.7 ± 2.6 g (95% CI 9.5–9.8). The mean salt consumption in rural areas [10.8 (95% CI 10.4–11.2)] was higher than urban areas [9.4 (95% CI 9.3–9.6)], in people with hypertension [10.8 (95% CI 10.3–11.3)] was more than people with normal blood pressure [9.4 (95% CI 9.3–9.6)], and in boys [9.8 (95% CI 9.7–10.0)] was more than girls [9.3 (95% CI 9.1–9.6)]. Higher age, BMI z-score, male sex and rural life, were associated with increased daily salt intake. Increased salt intake was associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion Daily salt intake in Iranian adolescents was about 2 times the recommended amount of the World Health Organization, was higher in rural areas and was associated with blood pressure. Reducing salt intake should be considered as an important intervention, especially in rural areas.

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Sodium and potassium intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular prevention

ESC CardioMed ◽

10.1093/med/9780198784906.003.0568 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 2431-2444

Author(s):

Francesco P. Cappuccio

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

World Health Organization ◽

Salt Intake ◽

World Health ◽

Salt Reduction ◽

Potassium Intake ◽

Salt Consumption ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization

Salt consumption is now much greater than needed for survival. High salt intake increases blood pressure in both animals and humans. Conversely, a reduction in salt intake causes a dose-dependent reduction in blood pressure in men and women of all ages and ethnic groups, and in patients already on medication. The risk of strokes and heart attacks rises with increasing blood pressure, but can be decreased by antihypertensive drugs. However, most cardiovascular disease events occur in individuals with ‘normal’ blood pressure levels. Non-pharmacological prevention is therefore the only option to reduce such events. Reduction in population salt intake reduces the number of vascular events. It is one of the most important public health measures to reduce the global cardiovascular burden. Salt reduction policies are powerful, rapid, equitable, and cost saving. The World Health Organization recommends reducing salt consumption below 5 g per day aiming at a global 30% reduction by 2025. A high potassium intake lowers blood pressure in people with and without hypertension. Its beneficial effects extend beyond blood pressure, and may include a reduction in the risk of stroke (independent of blood pressure changes). Potassium intake in the Western world is relatively low, and a lower potassium intake is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, especially stroke. A moderate increase in potassium intake, either as supplement or with diet, reduces blood pressure, and the World Health Organization has issued global recommendations for a target dietary potassium intake of at least 90 mmol/day (≥3510 mg/day) for adults.

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The Effect of Acumoxa Therapy on Blood Pressure in Gestational Hypertension

International Journal of Nursing and Health Services (IJNHS) ◽

10.35654/ijnhs.v3i5.327 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 569-575

Author(s):

Ketut Anom Sri Kesumawati ◽

Mardiyono Mardiyono ◽

Leni Latifah

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Community Health Centers ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Pharmacological Interventions ◽

Pharmacological Method ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

Gestational hypertension (GH) adverse effects on pregnancy and fetal development, but there are still a few non-pharmacological interventions that can control blood pressure. The study aimed to examine the impact of acumoxa therapy on reducing blood pressure among patients with GH. Thirty-four patients were admitted to three community health centers in Brebes Regency. They were selected and randomly divided into two groups, such as the experimental group and the control group. This study's participation was pregnant women randomly allocated to the experimental group (n= 17) and control group (n=17). The intervention group received acumoxa therapy. The control group received acupressure therapy at the same time of 5 minutes at each point in 3 sessions per week for four weeks. The points used between the intervention and control groups were almost the same. Acupoints HT 7 and LI11 are given acumoxa and acupressure. Point GV20 is only covered by pressure, and point KI3 is only moxibustion. Of the 34 women who completed the study, those who received acumoxa had significantly lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) (mean difference = 8 mmHg, p<0.05). Acumoxa therapy is an effective non-pharmacological method for reducing blood pressure in patients with gestational hypertension

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Salt reduction in bread: Is it enough? Preliminary results of a HIA in Portugal

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz187.027 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

J Santos ◽

P Braz ◽

A Costa ◽

L Costa ◽

M Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Statistical Difference ◽

Salt Intake ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Systolic Pressure ◽

Health Impact ◽

World Health ◽

Salt Reduction ◽

Aggregated Data ◽

The Impact

Abstract Issue Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a methodology that aims at assessing the impact of policies in health. A pilot HIA is in progress to kick off the implementation of this methodology in Portugal with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO). In this context, the impact of a nation-wide policy that intends to achieve a maximum of 1 g of salt/100 gr in bread is under assessment. Description of the issue In 2017, Portugal approved a protocol between the industry and other stakeholders to gradually decrease the amount of salt in bread, as this is the main source of salt intake. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact in blood pressure from current (1.4 gr) to 1 g (29% reduction) of salt in bread. Data from two different surveys regarding blood pressure and salt intake was gathered. We estimated the decrease in blood pressure with respect to current average values according to sex, age, education and region. Results It is expected that a reduction of 29% in salt intake through bread contributes to a general decrease in systolic pressure for normotensive people (from 120.4mmHg to 120.0mmHg, p = 0.85) and hypertensive people (from 151.0mmHg to 150.1mmHg, p = 0.68), although not statistically significant. Older hypertensive individuals (65 to 75 years) are the group with the largest benefit (152.8mmHg to 152.0mmHg) but no statistical difference was found. Disaggregation by sex, region and education also didn’t show any statistical difference. Lessons The impact in blood pressure from a 29% reduction in salt intake from bread seems very small. We found no statistical significance between the current and expected values in blood pressure either for total or group stratification. The absence of statistical effect might be due to sample size as our sources only allowed us to work with aggregated data. Key messages Quality and access to data is needed to assess impact of policies. to increase effects in blood pressure either salt reduction from bread must be larger or a wider range of products should be considered.

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The Impact of Pursed-lips Breathing Maneuver on Cardiac, Respiratory, and Oxygenation Parameters in COPD Patients

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3889/oamjms.2018.407 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (10) ◽

pp. 1851-1856 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Shahriar Sakhaei ◽

Hassan Ebrahimpour Sadagheyani ◽

Soryya Zinalpoor ◽

Abdolah Khorami Markani ◽

Hossein Motaarefi

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Nervous System ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Repeated Measure ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Breathing Maneuver ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND: Respiratory system, together with the cardiovascular and central nervous system, is responsible for all processes related to oxygenation and hemodynamics and the defect in the functioning of each of these systems, along with ageing, can have mutual effects on their performance and physiological symptoms. The use of Pursed-lips Breathing (PLB) training is an essential part of the treatment of patients with the obstructive pulmonary disease, PLB stimulates the autonomic nervous system and causes relaxation and improvement of physiological parameters. AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PLB on cardiac, pulmonary and oxygenation level in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). METHODS: A three-group clinical trial study with experimental and control which was purposefully conducted with the participation of patients with COPD and healthy individuals referring to Madani hospital Khoy, in 2017. The sample size was selected to be 60 subjects. The patients were randomly allocated to two groups of intervention and control with 20 patients, and 20 healthy subjects were assigned to the healthy intervention group. The demographic, anthropometric information form and checklist recording changes in levels of oxygenation, respiration, temperature, heart rate and blood pressure with cardiopulmonary follow up in three stages before, during and after PLB were used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, repeated measure test, ANOVA, and Chi-square. RESULTS: On evaluation within the COPD patient intervention group in Saturation of Peripheral Oxygen (SPO2) index with the mean difference of 2.05 percent, Respiratory Rate(RR)-0.65 minute and Pulse Rate(PR)-1.6 bpm was significant (p ≤ 0.05), and systolic blood pressure index in healthy subjects was increased (3.35 mmHg). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that using effective PLB as an easy, inexpensive, non- invasive and non-pharmacological method is considered as an important factor in improving the status of oxygenation and physiological indicators in patients with COPD and should be considered as an important part of rehabilitation programs for these patients.

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Innovative equipment to monitor and control salt usage when cooking at home: iMC SALT research protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035898 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. e035898

Author(s):

Carla Gonçalves ◽

Tânia Silva-Santos ◽

Sandra Abreu ◽

Patrícia Padrão ◽

Pedro Graça ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salt Intake ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Urinary Sodium Excretion ◽

Health Concern ◽

Dietary Salt ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Dietary Salt Intake ◽

And Control ◽

Monitor And Control ◽

At Home

IntroductionExcessive salt intake is a public health concern due to its deleterious impact on health. Most of the salt consumed come from those that are added when cooking. This study will improve knowledge on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce salt consumption among consumers.Methods and analysisIn this randomised clinical trial, we will be evaluating the efficacy of an intervention—the Salt Control H, an innovative prototype equipment to monitor and control use of salt when cooking—among workers from a public university, with the aim of reducing their dietary salt intake. We will randomly select 260 workers who meet the eligibility criteria and who are enrolled to an occupational health appointment and randomise them into one of the two arms of the study (either control or intervention), with matched baseline characteristics (sex and hypertension). The intervention will last for 8 weeks, during which the participants will use the equipment at home to monitor and control their use of salt when cooking. The main outcome will be 24-hour urinary sodium excretion at baseline, at fourth and eighth weeks of intervention, and at 6 months after intervention.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for the study has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João. The results of the investigation will be published in peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented at international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03974477Equipment provisional patent numberRegistered at INPI: 20191000033265.

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Impact of salt intake reduction on CVD mortality in Costa Rica: A scenario modelling study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245388 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245388

Author(s):

Jaritza Vega-Solano ◽

Adriana Blanco-Metzler ◽

Karol Madriz-Morales ◽

Eduardo-Augusto Fernandes-Nilson ◽

Marie Eve Labonté

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Salt Intake ◽

Sodium Intake ◽

Costa Rican ◽

World Health ◽

Salt Consumption ◽

Policies And Programs ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Impact ◽

Cvd Mortality

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent the leading cause of death in Costa Rica and high blood pressure was associated with a mortality rate of 29% in 2018. The average household sodium intake in the country is also two times higher than the World Health Organization recommendation. The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of reducing salt intake on CVD mortality in Costa Rica using a scenario simulation model. The Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl (PRIME) was used to estimate the number of deaths that would be averted or delayed in the Costa Rican population by following the national and the international guidelines to reduce salt consumption, according to two scenarios: A) 46% reduction and B) 15% reduction, both at an energy intake of 2171 kcal. The scenarios estimated that between 4% and 13%, respectively, of deaths due to CVD would be prevented or postponed. The highest percentages of deaths prevented or postponed by type of CVD would be related to Coronary heart disease (39% and 38%, respectively), Hypertensive disease (32% and 33%, respectively), and Stroke (22% in both). The results demonstrate that reducing salt consumption could prevent or postpone an important number of deaths in Costa Rica. More support for existing policies and programs urges.

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Impact of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol on COVID-19 case-fatality rate reduction in Algeria. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20886 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed Youssef Kada

Keyword(s):

Case Fatality Rate ◽

Doubling Time ◽

Case Fatality ◽

World Health ◽

Fatality Rate ◽

Therapeutic Protocol ◽

First Case ◽

The World ◽

The Impact ◽

At Home

BACKGROUND Covid-19 is an emerging infectious disease like viral zoonosis caused by new coronavirus SARS CoV 2. On December 31, 2019, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in Hubei province (China) reported cases of pneumonia, the origin of which is a new coronavirus. Rapidly extendable around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares it pandemic on March 11, 2020. This pandemic reaches Algeria on February 25, 2020, date on which the Algerian minister of health, announced the first case of Covid-19, a foreign citizen. From March 1, a cluster is formed in Blida and becomes the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic in Algeria, its total quarantine is established on March 24, 2020, it will be smoothly alleviated on April 24. A therapeutic protocol based on hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin was put in place on March 23, for complicated cases, it was extended to all the cases confirmed on April 06. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol in Algeria, in particular after its extension to all patients diagnosed COVID-19 positive on RT-PCR test. We were able to illustrate this fact graphically, but not to prove it statistically because the design of our study, indeed in the 7 days which followed generalization of therapeutic protocol, case fatality rate decrease and doubling time increase, thus confirming the impact of wide and early prescription of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol. METHODS We have analyzed the data collected from press releases and follow-ups published daily by the Ministry of Health, we have studied the possible correlations of these data with certain events or decisions having a possible impact on their development, such as confinement at home and its reduction, the prescription of hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin combination for serious patients and its extension to all positive COVID subjects. Results are presented in graphics, the data collection was closed on 31/05/2020. RESULTS Covid-19 pandemic spreads from February 25, 2020, when a foreign citizen is tested positive, on March 1 a cluster is formed in the city of Blida where sixteen members of the same family are infected during a wedding party. Wilaya of Blida becomes the epicentre of coronavirus epidemic in Algeria and lockdown measures taken, while the number of national cases diagnosed begins to increases In any event, the association of early containment measures combined with a generalized initial treatment for all positive cases, whatever their degree of severity, will have contributed to a reduction in the fatality rate of COVID 19 and a slowing down of its doubling time. CONCLUSIONS In Algeria, the rapid combination of rigorous containment measure at home and early generalized treatment with hydroxychloroquin have demonstrated their effectiveness in terms of morbidity and mortality, the classic measures of social distancing and hygiene will make it possible to perpetuate these results by reducing viral transmission, the only unknown, the reopening procedure which can only be started after being surrounded by precautions aimed at ensuring the understanding of the population. CLINICALTRIAL Algeria, Covid-19, pandemic, hydroxychloroquin, azithromycin, case fatality rate

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The effect of positive thinking training on the quality of life of parents of adolescent with thalassemia

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2019-0159 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Adeleh Sadeghloo ◽

Parna Shamsaee ◽

Elham Hesari ◽

Golbanhar Akhondzadeh ◽

Hamid Hojjati

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Intervention Group ◽

T Test ◽

World Health ◽

Positive Thinking ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control ◽

Paired T Test

Abstract Introduction Thalassemia, as the most common chronic hereditary blood disorder in humans, can impose many adverse effects on parents and their affected children. On the other hand, positive thinking is the method or the result of a positive focus on a constructive issue, so by teaching positive thinking, we can improve physical and social function, and promote emotional health and overall quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of positive thinking training on the quality of life of parents of adolescents with thalassemia. Methods This quasi-experimental study was performed on 52 parents of adolescents with thalassemia who attended Taleghani Hospital in Golestan province, Iran in 2017. Samples were randomly assigned into two groups of intervention and control. The positive thinking training (based on the theory of Martin Seligman) was carried out in the intervention group in 10 (45–60 min) sessions over a 5-week period. Data collection tools in this study were the World Health Organization (WHO) quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and a demographic information questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16 software using independent t-test, the paired t-test and a covariance test. Results The results of paired t-test showed a significant difference in the score of quality of life in intervention group before and after the intervention (p < 0.001). However, this test did not show any significant difference in the control group (p = 0.11). The covariance test, after removing the pre-test score, showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the score of quality of life, so that 13% of the changes after the intervention were due to the intervention (p = 0.009, η = 0.13). Conclusion The positive thinking training increased the quality of life of parents of adolescents with thalassemia. Therefore, using this program can be an effective way of improving the quality of life of parents. Thus, positive thinking training is suggested to be used as an effective strategy for increasing the quality of life of parents with ill children.

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