• Jéssica Martinelli, Simara Rufatto Conde, Aline Ramos de Araújo, and Aline Marcadenti.
• Registered Nutritionist, School of Nutrition, Biological and Health Sciences Center, Universidade do Vale do Taquari (UNIVATES), Lajeado (RS) Brazil.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2020 Jan 1; 138 (1): 4104-10.

BackgroundHypertension is an important public health problem. Overweight and high salt intake are risk factors for its development.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between salt taste sensitivity threshold (STST) and blood pressure (BP) in healthy adults.Design And SettingCross-sectional study conducted in a private institution.Methods104 healthy adults (aged 18-59 years) were evaluated. Sociodemographic, clinical and dietary data were collected. Nutritional status and BP were assessed using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). STST was assessed using graded saline solutions with sodium chloride concentrations ranging from 0.228 to 58.44 g/l. Identification of salty taste in solutions ≥ 3.652 g/l was used as the cutoff point for high STST.ResultsParticipants with high STST presented higher daily average intakes for energy (2017.4 ± 641.5 versus 1650.5 ± 357.7 kcal/day; P = 0.01) and sodium (3070.2 ± 1195.1 versus 2435.2 ± 963.6 mg/day; P = 0.01) and higher BMI (P = 0.008) and WC (P = 0.002). After adjustment for age, sex, sodium and potassium intake, WC and family history of hypertension, the averages for SBP and DBP in subjects with high STST were higher than in those with normal STST (SBP: 138.2 ± 1.7 versus 119.7 ± 0.9 mmHg; P < 0.001; DBP: 81.2 ± 1.9 versus 75.1 ± 1.0 mmHg; P = 0.008).ConclusionHigh STST was associated with elevated blood pressure in healthy adults, regardless of other risk factors for hypertension.

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