U-shaped association between dietary calcium density intake during adolescence and hypertension in adulthood-a 20-y longitudinal nationwide study in China

Abstract

Background and Aims: We assessed longitudinal association between calcium intake during adolescence and hypertension in adulthood. Methods and Results: Longitudinal study data of 1611 participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey during 1991-2011 were used. On average they were followed for 11.4 years. Dietary calcium intake during adolescence was assessed based on three 24-hour dietary recalls collected in each visit/survey between 1991 and 2009 (seven waves). The intake was recoded into quartiles. Cumulative mean±SD calcium intake was 199.9±144.8 mg/1000 kcal/day during adolescence. In total 102 participants had hypertension in adulthood (97 men and 5 women). There was a clear U-shaped association between adolescence calcium intake quartiles and adulthood hypertension: Across the quartiles, hypertension prevalence was 6.7%, 4.0%, 5.2% and 9.5%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders including weight status and dietary pattern, odds ratios (OR, 95%CI) for hypertension were 2.32 (95%CI 1.07-5.00) for lowest quartile, 1.00 (reference), 1.34 (95%CI 0.61-2.97), and 3.10 (95%CI 1.49-6.46) across the quartiles. Conclusions: Lower or higher calcium intake during adolescence was associated with hypertension in adulthood independent of weight status and dietary pattern.