Sal's consumption in adolescents: Predominance and factors of risk

Background: The excessive consumption of salt constitutes an important problem of public health and is in the origin of a great deal of the cardio-vascular pathologies. These occupy place of relief in the reduction of the quality of life of the individuals, in the consumption of cares of health, namely in consultations and medicines, and, more tragically, they contribute to elevated taxes of mortality.

Methods: There was effectuated a cross study that wrapped a sample of 305 adolescents with ages understood between 14 and 18 years (average 15,42; Dp=0,89) being a 153 (50,2 %) of the masculine sex, enroled in two public schools of the district of Viseu, selected aleatoriamente on basis of his location in villages, towns and cities. The information was obtained through an autohard-working questionnaire answered by the adolescents in classroom.
Results: The prevelance of complementary use of salt in the meals expressed by our sample was 35,7 % (IC95 %: 34,2-37,9). The incident of complementary use of salt in the last month was significantly more frequent in the masculine sex (OR=1,2 IC95 %: 0,8-1,9), inferior age to 16 years (OR=0,7 IC95 %:0,4-1,2), bigger rate of physical mass (OR=1,3 IC95 %:0,7-2,5), less practice of physical exercise (OR=0,8 IC95 %:0,5-1,6), and less frequent between what they do not smoke (OR=1,4 IC95 %:0,9-2,3) and those who present less degree of stress.
Conclusions: The supplementary consumption of salt is very frequent in the adolescents. Factors like the feminine sex, obesity, a sedentary life and stress they are associated significantly with the additional use of salt to the foods.