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Objective: The connection between increased dietary salt intake and arterial hypertension has been recognized for a long time, even in children. This study aimed to investigate salt consumption in normotensive and hypertensive children and evaluate their dietary habits. Materials and Methods: A total of fifty participants were included in this cross-sectional study: twenty-five normotensive children and 25 children of both sexes with essential arterial hypertension from 12–17 years old. Subjects’ body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, body composition and arterial blood pressure were measured, and their daily salt intake was calculated from 24-h urine samples. Using the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the data on the average daily total energy and food intakes were collected and analyzed using a suitable program. Results: Estimated daily salt intake was significantly higher in hypertensive compared to normotensive children, and this is positively associated with blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). Hypertensive children had significantly higher BMIs, which also positively correlated with blood pressure. Consistently, resting metabolic rate (kcal) is higher in hypertensive children compared to normotensive, and this is also associated with blood pressure. Reported energy intake is also enlarged in hypertensive compared to normotensive children and for both groups, levels are significantly higher than the recommended values. Conclusions: Our study results confirm the relationship between daily salt consumption, blood pressure and body weight. Sodium consumption related to blood pressure and body weight among children. Cardiovascular disease prevention should start in early childhood by reducing salt intake and preventing overweight/obesity since these are two of the most important modifiable risk factors for hypertension.

djece sa sindromom Down u području Istočne Hrvatske. Svi bolesnici s fenotipskim obilježjima sindroma Down pregledani su u Klinici za pedijatriju Kliničkog bolničkog centra Osijek. Citogenetička analiza obavljena je u Laboratoriju za medicinsku genetiku Medicinskog fakulteta u Osijeku. Sindrom Down potvrđen je tehnikom GTG pruganja kod 101-og bolesnika, od toga njih 55% muškog i 45% ženskog spola. Najčešći je regularni tip trisomije 21 utvrđen kod 95% bolesnika, nakon čega slijedi translokacijski tip u 4% i mozaični tip utvrđen u 1% bolesnika. Prosječna dob majki bila je 33 godine. Prirođena srčana grješka utvrđena je kod 38/89 (42,7%) bolesnika. Tijekom 15 godina nije zamijećen značajan pad prevalencije živorođenih osoba sa sindromom Down u području Istočne Hrvatske. Prenatalnoj dijagnostici podvrgnuo se manji broj majki djece s sindromom Down te je uputno procijeniti informiranost budućih majki, kao i liječničko znanje i stavove prema prenatalnoj dijagnozi Downovog sindroma.

Objective:The development of arterial hypertension is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with high salt intake being a known environmental contributor. This study aimed to estimate daily salt intake in children with essential arterial hypertension and in normotensive children, and to assess the relationship between their blood pressure values and 24-h urinary sodium excretion.Design and method:Total of 26 children participated in this study; 12 children with essential arterial hypertension (HT) and 14 normotensive children (NT) (both sexes, age ranged 12–17). Systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and heart rate were measured. 24-h urine samples were analysed for excreted sodium concentration whereas daily salt intake based on 24-h urinary sodium excretion was calculated using appropriate formula. Statistical analysis was conducted by t-test (between groups), and Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation test was used to determine the correlations between blood pressure (SBP, DBP and MAP) and 24-h urinary sodium excretion (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant).Results:Body mass index (BMI) was similar between groups. Calculated salt intake was significantly higher in children with essential hypertension compared with normotensive children. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean (MAP) arterial blood pressure were significantly higher in children with essential arterial hypertension compared with normotensive children, while there were no difference in heart rate between HT and NT groups. 24-h urinary sodium excretion was significantly higher in the HT compared with the NT group. 24-h urinary sodium excretion was positively associated with SBP (r = 0.673), DBP (r = 0.513) and MAP (r = 0.651).Conclusions:Even though BMI was similar, 24-h urinary sodium excretion was significantly higher in hypertensive children indicating their higher daily salt intake, which is associated with higher blood pressure in these children.