High salt intake in the Russian population: prevalence, regional aspects, associations with socio-demographic characteristics, risk factors and diseases. Results of epidemiological studies ESSE-RF and EGIDA-Moscow

High salt intake is a risk factor for the development of hypertension, most cardiovascular diseases and their complications. Aim. To study the characteristics of high salt intake in Russian and Moscow populations according to epidemiological studies. Material and methods. Data from representative samples of adult population aged 25-64 years (n=21922, 8372 men and 13550 women) from Russian 13 regions and persons aged >18 years (n=4063, 1662 men and 2401 women) from Moscow were used. A combination of 2 out of 3 items was taken as excess salt intake: daily consumption of meat and sausage products and pickles and/or adding salt to the finished dish. The results are presented as frequencies and odds ratios (OR). Results. The prevalence of high salt intake in the Russian population was 49,3% (53% among men and 47% among women); in the Moscow sample — 49,6% (60,3% for men and 41,9% for women). The habit of adding salt to a finished dish is widespread in the Russian Federation — 40,5% (47% among men and 34,7% among women); among Muscovites it is less pronounced — 25,8% (31,6% among men and 21,7% among women). Positive associations of high salt intake were noted with male sex (OR=1,1), education level (OR=1,5 and OR=1,3 for primary and secondary education, respectively), smoking (OR=1,74), alcohol consumption (OR=1,3, OR=1,4 and OR=1,5 — for moderate, high and very high alcohol consumption, respectively), rural place of residence (OR=1,34), anxiety (OR=1,27), depression (OR=1,36) and abdominal obesity (OR=1,1), and negative — with thyroid disease (OR=0,9), previous cerebral stroke (OR=0,8) and type 2 diabetes (OR=0,87). The prevalence of high salt intake in the all-Russian sample is not associated with income level and age, but was noted among Muscovites. Conclusion . In the Russian population, a high prevalence of high salt intake was revealed, which is more pronounced among smokers, alcohol drinkers, those with primary and secondary education levels, rural residents, as well as those with anxiety and depression.