Sodium and potassium intakes assessed by 24-h urine among Moroccan University students in Casablanca, Morocco: Cross-sectional study

In Morocco, the high consumption of dietary sodium increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and predisposes to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and hypertension. This study aims to assess the dietary sodium and potassium intake in a random sample of Moroccan adult students as a benchmark informing a national strategy for reducing salt intake. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 adults aged 18 to 25 years recruited in Casablanca. The 24-hour urinary excretion was used to measure the sodium and potassium. Urine volume and creatinine excretion level were used to validate the completeness of the collected samples. The average urinary sodium excretion was 3.1±0.1g/day, 13.5% consumed less than 5g/day, while 69% consumed more than 5g/day of which 17.5% consumed more than twice the recommendations. For the average urinary potassium excretion was 1.83±0.06g/day, and more than 98% of the students consumed less than the adequate intake. The Na/K ratio is significantly higher than the recommended amounts. The results of this pilot study show that the population studied has a high sodium intake and low potassium intake which does not meet World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, which requires implementing an action plan to reduce salt intake.