Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a global health issue that affects millions of people in the world and is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and kidney failure. Among the many lifestyle factors influencing hypertension, dietary salt consumption has emerged as a key determinant of blood pressure regulation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between daily salt intake and blood pressure in a group of Cameroonian subjects living in Yaoundé. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study, with prospective data collection conducted from March to May 2024. We included people aged 21 and over with known or unknown hypertension, residing in the Biyem-Assi Health District and having given their free and informed consent. Pregnant women, people with chronic kidney disease, people who had recently taken diuretics, and people with secondary hypertension were excluded from the study. We used a stratified random sampling method. The measurement of the association between salt consumption and blood pressure was studied using Pearson's correlation test with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULT: Of the 203 participants included in our study, the median age was 36 [25-55] years. They were predominantly female (51.2%), overweight/obese (50.2%), living a sedentary lifestyle (90.6%), and had normal blood pressure (MAP: 97.79 ± 7.71 mmHg). All participants had a high salt intake (5067.23 ± 1195.23 mg), with extremes of 2005.94 mg and 8222.11 mg, the majority (80.8%) having more than double the recommended value, and the majority of family meals (75%) had a sodium content ≥ 0.6 g/100 g. There was a positive linear relationship between salt intake and mean daily blood pressure (r = 0.452, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of reducing salt intake in the strategy for preventing and managing hypertension in Cameroon. Reducing salt intake through education, awareness, and policy changes could contribute to significantly reduce the burden of hypertension in Cameroon.