OBJECTIVETo analyze the mean population intake of salt in Chinese adults in 2010-2012.

METHODSData were from the Chinese Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. The samples were selected through the method of probability proportion to size (PPS). The study objects were 55 531 adults aged 18 and over from 150 sites in 31 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities in China. The information of oil, salt and other condiments for household was from the 3 d food weighed record. The average of salt intake for individuals was calculated based on the energy percentage in one family. The results presented the level of salt intake (x ± Sx) by analyzing the different demography characteristics. The results were calculated using complex weighting by the population data from National Bureau of Statistics in 2009.

RESULTSThe intake of salt was (9.6 ± 0.3) g/d and it was higher in men ((10.4 ± 0.4) g/d) than that in women ((8.8 ± 0.3) g/d). The intake in the age group of 40-49, 50-59 and 60-69 was (9.9 ± 0.5) g/d, (10.3 ± 0.4) g/d and (9.9 ± 0.3) g/d, respectively. The adults in rural ((10.2 ± 0.3) g/d) had a higher salt intake than that of urban ((9.0 ± 0.5) g/d). An average of salt intake was increased gradually in big city ((7.9 ± 0.3) g/d), medium /small city ((9.2 ± 0.6) g/d) , general rural ((9.9 ± 0.4) g/d) and poor rural ((10.8 ± 0.7)g/d).

CONCLUSIONThe mean salt intake among Chinese adults was still in a very high level. Something should be done to reduce the salt intake for the government and policy-makers.