Sodium, Potassium and Iodine Intake, in a National Adult Population Sample of the Republic of Moldova

A recent study published in Nutrients by D’Elia et al. investigated sodium, potassium and iodine intake in the Republic of Moldova. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected and analysed from 858 adults (326 men and 532 women, 66% response rate). Mean salt intake was found to be 10.8g/day, with only 11.3% of people meeting the World Health Organization recommendation of 5 g/day. Potassium intake was low at 3.26 g/day, and only 39% met WHO potassium targets. Additionally, 41% of the population had adequate iodine status, and it was found that use of iodised salt was low, particularly in rural areas. Authors concluded that this study provided useful insights on how to improve and adapt the universal salt iodization program in Moldova.