Prevalence of excess sodium intake and main food sources in adults from the 2017-2018 Brazilian National Dietary Survey

An excessive dietary intake of sodium has been related to high blood pressure, a central but modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other ill health conditions. In the present work, we aimed to update estimates of sodium intake in a representative sample of Brazilian adults from the 2017-2018 Brazilian National Dietary Survey. Based on 24-hour recall, we calculated total daily sodium consumption, the prevalence of excess intake, and the main food sources. Overall, the median dietary sodium intake was 2432 mg/d. The prevalence of adults exceeding the recommended limit considering the Tolerable Upper Limit and the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction cut-off points was 61% and 56%, respectively. Higher median sodium intake and proportion of individuals above the limits was found in: men, individuals in the 20-29 age category, residents of the South region, in the third tertile of _per capita_ family income, that had an educational level above high school, whose reported not follow a specific diet, declared the habit of adding extra salt to already prepared meals, and individuals classified as in food security status. The main source of salt intake came from salt added during cooking. The top dietary sources of sodium were white bread and toast (12.3%), beans (11.6%), white rice (10.6%), and beef (7.7%). Given the established health benefits of dietary salt reduction, it would be advisable to continue and even improve the current national initiatives of awareness and educational campaigns to decrease overall salt intake across the Brazilian population.