Students' hidden salt and sugar intake at the University of Osijek

Preporučeni dnevni unos soli hranom je 5 do 6 g, a prekoračenje predstavlja rizik za hipertenziju odnosno kardiovaskularne bolesti (KVB). KVB su globalni javnozdravstveni problem; glavni su uzročnik mortaliteta i morbiditeta diljem svijeta. Veći dio soli, tzv. skrivene soli unesemo gotovom i polugotovom hranom, te konzumacijom obroka u restoranima, kao što su studentske menze. Konzumacija slane hrane je povezana sa unosom skrivenog šećera, najčešće iz zaslađenih napitaka, a što je dodatni rizik za KVB zbog povezanosti s povećanom tjelesnom masom, dislipidemijama, dijabetesom tipa 2 i dr. Cilj rada bio je utvrditi ukupan unos skrivene soli i šećera studenata Sveučilišta u Osijeku, te njihov značaj obzirom na rizik za KVB. 185 studenata sa šest fakulteta ispunilo je anonimnu anketu o općim, prehrambenim i životnim navikama, te semikvantitativni upitnik o učestalosti konzumiranja hrane koja je bogat izvor skrivene soli i šećera u prehrani. Utvrđeni rizični čimbenici za KVB među studentima su: povećana tjelesna masa i pretilost (16,7 %), niska razina fizičke aktivnosti (27,5 % neaktivno), visoka prevalencija pušenja (25,9 %), te visok unos natrija (7684 mg) koji je direktno povezan s visokim unosom jednostavnih ugljikohidrata (89,5 g, r=0,548) koji doprinose ukupnom unosu ugljikohidrata sa 40,4 % (r=0,672). Rezultati ukazuju na potrebu itenzivnijih aktivnosti usmjerenih na smanjenje unosa hrane koja je značajan izvor skrivene soli i šećera.Recommended daily intake of salt trough food is 5 to 6 g, while the excessive intake poses risk for hypertension, i.e. cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). CVDs represent a serious public health problem; they are the number one cause of mortality and morbidity around the globe. The majority of salt intake, i.e. hidden salt comes from ready-to-eat and other industrial foods, and by consuming meals in restaurants like school cafeterias. Consumption of salty foods is related to hidden sugar intake, mostly from sweetened beverages, which is an additional CVDs risk factor due to its relation with increased body mass index, dyslipidemia, diabetes type 2, etc. The aim was to determine the total intake of hidden salt and sugar among students from University of Osijek, and also their significance as CVDs risk. 185 students from 6 faculties completed an anonymous questionnaire on general, dietary and lifestyle habits, and a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire on foods that represent the major source of hidden salt and sugar. Determined risk factors for CVDs among students are: increased body mass and obesity (16.7 %), the lack of physical activity (27.5 % inactive), high prevalence of smoking (25.9 %), and high consumption of sodium (7684 mg) which is in direct correlation to high intake of simple carbohydrates (85.9 g, r=0,548) which contribute to the total intake of carbohydrates by 40.4 % (r=0,672). The results point out to the need of more intensive activities towards lower intake of foods which represent the significant source of hidden salt and sugar