Few US adults with high blood pressure met sodium and potassium goals
Across US surveys from 1999–2023, 1.3% met both recommended intakes, compared with 29.4% meeting sodium goals and 20.3% meeting potassium goals.
Our read
Populations- Studied:
- Cross-sectional study of 28,356 nonpregnant US adults with hypertension
- What changed:
- 1.3% of adults with hypertension met both recommended sodium and potassium intakes
- In the record:
- One of 3 papers on dietary potassium intake on record: 2 with results in people.
- Why it’s aging research:
- It bears on staying healthy in midlife and later life.
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In 28,356 nonpregnant US adults with hypertension, or high blood pressure, researchers examined sodium and potassium intake in a cross-sectional observational study. They pooled 12 national surveys from 1999–2023 and used each participant’s first 24-hour dietary recall interview. The recommended thresholds were no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium and at least 3,500 milligrams of potassium per day.
Few participants met both goals. Higher potassium intake was associated with higher sodium and calorie intake. The share meeting the sodium goal reached a low of 24.3% in 2011–12 before rising to 34.5% in 2021–23. The share meeting the potassium goal declined over time, reaching its lowest level, 15.3%, in 2021–23.
Why it matters
For adults managing high blood pressure as they age, a practical question is how to meet potassium recommendations while keeping sodium and calorie intake down.
Caveats
Cross-sectional data cannot establish cause and effect, and one day of recalled intake may not represent usual diets. The findings concern nonpregnant US adults with high blood pressure living outside institutions.
The paper
SIU Medicine
American Journal of Hypertension, Mar 23, 2026, Open access
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