SALT PREFERENCE IN ADOLESCENCE IS PREDICTED BY COMMON PRENATAL AND INFANTILE MINERALOFLUID LOSS

We investigated early determinants of salt preference in humans. In an imals, physiological events, among them perinatal mineralofluid loss, contribute to long-term salt intake. Recent findings suggest that in h umans prenatal mineralofluid loss (high levels of maternal vomiting) m ay increase the lifelong avidity for salt in offspring. Here we report that commonly occurring events that cause mild fluid loss and electro lyte imbalance in infancy, as well as prenatally, predict the avidity for salt in adolescents. Using questionnaires, 50 mothers recalled inc idence and severity of infantile diarrhea and vomiting in their adoles cent offspring. The adolescents' avidity for salt was determined by te sting the preferred concentration of salt in soup, voluntary consumpti on of salty snack items, and by self report of salt use habits, and a dietary questionnaire. A reported history of mineralofluid loss includ ing maternal vomiting and infantile vomiting and diarrhea increases th e avidity for salt but not for sweet. Thus, commonly occurring early m ineralofluid loss may contribute to lifelong salt intake. The findings raise the possibility that other causes of mineralofluid loss such as hemorrhage, exercise-induced dehydration, or neonatal diuretic therap y may also increase the avidity for salt, and its attendant health ris ks. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.