Play all audios:
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Excessive intake of sodium is a dietary risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Currently, intake of sodium is much higher than the recommended level in most
western countries, and effective strategies to reduce population sodium intake are lacking. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of two different sodium reduction
strategies on the intake of sodium, potassium, and the sodium to potassium ratio among Danish families SUBJECTS/METHODS The study was a 4-month, single-blinded, cluster randomized
controlled trial with a parallel design. Eighty-nine healthy Danish families, with a minimum of one child and one parent (_n_ = 309), were randomly assigned to receive sodium-reduced bread
(Intervention A), sodium-reduced bread and dietary counseling (Intervention B) or regular sodium bread (Control). The primary outcome was change in daily sodium intake, measured by 24-h
urinary sodium excretion. Secondary outcomes included changes in dietary potassium and the sodium to potassium ratio. RESULTS No significant differences in daily sodium intake were observed
in the two intervention groups compared with the control. When analyzing the results separately for children and adults, a reduction in dietary sodium of 0.6 g/day (−1.0, −0.2), _p_ = 0.005
occurred among adults in intervention B compared with control. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that providing sodium-reduced bread in combination with dietary counseling is an effective
strategy to reduce dietary sodium among adults, but the effect is lacking in children. The study was not able to show significant effects when providing sodium-reduced bread alone in neither
adults nor children. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution
Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full
article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs *
Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS IMPACT OF DIFFERENT DIETARY SODIUM REDUCTION STRATEGIES ON BLOOD PRESSURE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW Article 19 August 2022
EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF-MONITORING DEVICES MEASURING THE URINARY SODIUM–TO–POTASSIUM RATIO, URINARY SALT (SODIUM) EXCRETION, OR SALT CONCENTRATION IN FOODS FOR BLOOD PRESSURE MANAGEMENT: A
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS Article 13 February 2025 DIETARY PATTERNS TO PROMOTE CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH Article 17 July 2024 REFERENCES * He FJ, Li J, MacGregor GA. Effect of longer
term modest salt reduction on blood pressure: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ. 2013;346:1–15. Article Google Scholar * Aburto NJ, Ziolkovska A,
Hooper L, Elliott P, Cappuccio FP, Meerpohl JJ. Effect of lower sodium intake on health: systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ. 2013;346:1–20. Article Google Scholar * Mozaffarian D,
Fahimi S, Singh GM, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Engell RE, et al. Global sodium consumption and death from cardiovascular causes. N Engl J Med. 2014;371:624–34. Article Google Scholar * He FJ,
MacGregor GA. Role of salt intake in prevention of cardiovascular disease: controversies and challenges. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15:371–7. Article Google Scholar * O’Donnell M, Mente A,
Rangarajan S, McQueen MJ, O’Leary N, Yin L, et al. Joint association of urinary sodium and potassium excretion with cardiovascular events and mortality: prospective cohort study. BMJ.
2019;364:1–14. Google Scholar * Afshin A, Sur PJ, Fay KA, Cornaby L, Ferrara G, Salama JS, et al. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the
Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet. 2019;393:1958–72. Article Google Scholar * WHO. ‘Best buys’ and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of
noncommunicable diseases. Geneva, 2017. * Pedersen A, Christensen T, Matthiessen J, Knudsen VK, Sørensen MR, Jensen AB, et al. Danish National Survey of Dietary Habits and Physical Activity
(DANSDA). Søborg: DTU, Fødevareinstituttet; 2011. * Nordic Council of Ministers. Sodium as salt. In: Nordic nutrition recommendations 5th ed. Copenhagen, 2012, p. 515–33. * Cerqueira C,
Jørgensen T, Andreasen A, Siganos G, Ulla T. Konsekvensberegninger for reduktion af danskernes saltindtag (Impact calculations for reducing salt intake among Danes). Glostrup:
Forskningscenter for Forebyggelse og Sundhed; 2012. * Leyvraz M, Chatelan A, da Costa BR, Taffé P, Paradis G, Bovet P, et al. Sodium intake and blood pressure in children and adolescents: a
systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental and observational studies. Int J Epidemiol. 2018;47:1796–810. Article Google Scholar * Gahagan S. Development of eating behavior:
biology and context. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2012;33:261–71. Article Google Scholar * Stein LJ, Cowart BJ, Beauchamp GK. The development of salty taste acceptance is related to dietary
experience in human infants: a prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;94:123–9. Article Google Scholar * Mikkilä V, Räsänen L, Raitakari OT, Pietinen P, Viikari J. Consistent dietary
patterns identified from childhood to adulthood: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Br J Nutr. 2005;93:923–31. Article Google Scholar * Scaglioni S, De Cosmi V, Ciappolino V,
Parazzini F, Brambilla P, Agostoni C. Factors influencing children’s eating behaviours. Nutrients. 2018;10:1–17. Article Google Scholar * Harnack LJ, Cogswell ME, Shikany JM, Gardner CD,
Gillespie C, Loria CM, et al. Sources of sodium in US adults from 3 geographic regions. Circulation. 2017;135:1775–83. Article CAS Google Scholar * Andersen L, Rasmussen LB, Larsen EH,
Jakobsen J. Intake of household salt in a Danish population. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008;63:598–604. Article Google Scholar * Liem DG, Miremadi F, Keast RSJ. Reducing sodium in foods: the effect
on flavor. Nutrients. 2011;3:694–711. Article CAS Google Scholar * Henney JE, Taylor CL, Boon CS. Strategies to reduce sodium intake in the United States. 2010.
https://doi.org/10.17226/12818. * Mitchell M, Brunton NP, Wilkinson MG. Current salt reduction strategies and their effect on sensory acceptability: A study with reduced salt ready-meals.
Eur Food Res Technol. 2011;232:529–39. Article CAS Google Scholar * McMahon E, Clarke R, Jaenke R, Brimblecombe J. Detection of 12.5% and 25% salt reduction in bread in a remote
indigenous Australian community. Nutrients. 2016;8:1–11. Google Scholar * Girgis S, Neal B, Prescott J, Prendergast J, Dumbrell S, Turner C, et al. A one-quarter reduction in the salt
content of bread can be made without detection. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:616–20. Article CAS Google Scholar * He FJ, MacGregor GA. Reducing population salt intake worldwide: from evidence
to implementation. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2010;52:363–82. Article CAS Google Scholar * Cobb LK, Appel LJ, Anderson CAM. Strategies to reduce dietary sodium intake. Curr Treat Options
Cardiovasc Med. 2012;14:425–34. Article Google Scholar * Binia A, Jaeger J, Hu Y, Singh A, Zimmermann D. Daily potassium intake and sodium-to-potassium ratio in the reduction of blood
pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens. 2015;33:1509–20. Article CAS Google Scholar * Perez V, Chang ET. Sodium-to-potassium ratio and blood pressure,
hypertension, and related factors. Adv Nutr. 2014;5:712–41. Article CAS Google Scholar * Bjoernsbo KS, Riis NL, Andreasen AH, Petersen J, Lassen AD, Trolle E, et al. Salt reduction
intervention in families investigating metabolic, behavioral and health effects of targeted intake reductions: study protocol for a four months three-armed, randomized, controlled
‘Real-Life’ trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16:1–22. Article Google Scholar * Trolle AE, Saxholt E, Knuthsen P. Saltindhold i brød og morgenmadscerealier (Salt content in
bread and breakfast cereals). E-artikel fra DTU Fødevareinstituttet. 2016:1–5 * Jakobsen J, Pedersen AN, Ovesen L. Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) used as a marker for completeness of 24 h
urine: effects of age and dosage scheduling. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:138–42. Article CAS Google Scholar * Cashman KD, Kenny S, Kerry JP, Leenhardt F, Arendt EK. ‘Low-Salt’ bread as an
important component of a pragmatic reduced-salt diet for lowering blood pressure in adults with elevated blood pressure. Nutrients. 2019;11:1–15. Article Google Scholar * Ferrante D, Apro
N, Ferreira V, Virgolini M, Aguilar V, Sosa M, et al. Feasibility of salt reduction in processed foods in Argentina. Rev Panam Salud Pública. 2011;29:69–75. Article Google Scholar * WHO.
Guideline: potassium intake for adults and children. Geneva, 2012. * Sacks FM, Svetkey LP, Vollmer WM, Appel LJ, Bray GA, Harsha D, et al. Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium
and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet. N. Engl J Med. 2001;344:3–10. Article CAS Google Scholar * Campbell NRC, He FJ, Tan M, Cappuccio FP, Neal B, Woodward M, et
al. The International Consortium for Quality Research on Dietary Sodium/Salt (TRUE) position statement on the use of 24-hour, spot, and short duration (<24h) timed urine collections to
assess dietary sodium intake. J Clin Hypertens. 2019;21:700–9. Article Google Scholar * Lucko AM, Doktorchik C, Woodward M, Cogswell M, Neal B, Rabi D, et al. Percentage of ingested sodium
excreted in 24-hour urine collections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Hypertens. 2018;20:1220–9. Article Google Scholar * Terry AL, Cogswell ME, Wang C-Y, Chen T-C, Loria
CM, Wright JD, et al. Feasibility of collecting 24-h urine to monitor sodium intake in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104:480–8. Article CAS
Google Scholar * Statistics Denmark. Educational attainment. Statistics Denmark; 2019.
https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/emner/uddannelse-og-viden/befolkningens-uddannelsesstatus/befolkningens-hoejst-fuldfoerte-uddannelse. Accessed 18 Sep 2019. * Darmon N, Drewnowski A.
Contribution of food prices and diet cost to socioeconomic disparities in diet quality and health: a systematic review and analysis. Nutr Rev. 2015;73:643–60. Article Google Scholar
Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the municipalities of Albertslund, Ballerup, Egedal, Glostrup, and Rødovre for supporting recruitment as well as the
nurses, data managers, secretary, and other staff members at the research center for helping to prepare and perform the intervention. A great thanks to Jan H Poulsen, Lantmännen Cerealia,
Vejle, Denmark, Peter Nielsen and Jens Nielsen, Smørum Konditori for developing and delivering bread for the intervention and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration for analyzing the
sodium content in the bread. Last but not least, a big thanks to all the families who participated in the study. FUNDING Danish Heart Foundation, The Research Fund of the Capital Region of
Denmark, the Toyota Foundation, Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark, Axel Muusfeldt’s Foundation, Doctor Sophus Carl Emil Friis and wife Olga Doris Friis’ Foundation, and the
Technical University of Denmark AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Building 201, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Nanna Louise Riis, Anne Dahl Lassen, Ellen Trolle & Anette Bysted * Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Nordrefasanvej 57, Hovedvejen,
Entrance 5, 1st floor, 2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark Nanna Louise Riis, Kirsten Schroll Bjoernsbo, Amalie Kruse Sigersted Frederiksen, Anne Helms Andreasen & Ulla Toft Authors * Nanna
Louise Riis View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Kirsten Schroll Bjoernsbo View author publications You can also search for this author
inPubMed Google Scholar * Anne Dahl Lassen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Ellen Trolle View author publications You can also search
for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Amalie Kruse Sigersted Frederiksen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Anne Helms Andreasen View
author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Anette Bysted View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Ulla
Toft View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS UT, KSB, ADL, ET, NLR, and AKSF designed research; AKSF, NLR, KSB, and AB conducted
research; NLR and AHA performed statistical analysis; NLR, KSB, UT, ADA, and ET wrote paper. All authors read and approved the final paper. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Nanna
Louise Riis. ETHICS DECLARATIONS CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. ETHICAL APPROVAL The study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency
and the Scientific Ethical Committee, Capital region, Denmark, and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants ≥18 years and caregivers for participants
<18 years gave written informed consent. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLISHER’S NOTE Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional
affiliations. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Riis, N.L., Bjoernsbo, K.S., Lassen, A.D. _et al._ Impact of a sodium-reduced bread
intervention with and without dietary counseling on sodium intake—a cluster randomized controlled trial among Danish families. _Eur J Clin Nutr_ 74, 1334–1344 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0633-4 Download citation * Received: 11 December 2019 * Revised: 01 April 2020 * Accepted: 01 April 2020 * Published: 27 April 2020 * Issue Date: September
2020 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0633-4 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable
link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative