Micronutrients & recovery
Using nutrient densities (mg per 1,000 kcal) improves the measurement accuracy of both potassium and sodium compared to absolute intake, and the Sodium:Potassium Ratio (SPR) is measured significantly better than sodium alone.
When tracking sodium, do not just look at the total milligrams. Calculate the Sodium:Potassium Ratio (SPR) or look at sodium density (mg per 1,000 kcal). These metrics are measured much more accurately by self-report instruments than absolute sodium values, reducing the error inherent in memory-based food logging.
Using densities improves the measurement of potassium and sodium on an FFQ. Sodium:potassium ratio is measured much better than sodium itself on both FFQs and 24HRs.
Why this rating
Supported by pooled correlation coefficients and attenuation factors across 5 studies.
Source
Pooled Results From 5 Validation Studies of Dietary Self-Report Instruments Using Recovery Biomarkers for Potassium and Sodium Intake
Laurence S. Freedman et al. · American Journal of Epidemiology · 2015
DOI 10.1093/aje/kwu325
More from this paper
- Dietary self-report instruments (FFQs and 24-hour recalls) significantly underestimate sodium intake (by 23-52% for FFQs and 23-28% for 24HRs), whereas potassium intake is captured with much higher accuracy (underreporting of only 5-6% for FFQs).Strong
- Higher body mass index (BMI) is strongly associated with greater underreporting of sodium intake, particularly when using Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs).Good
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