Sun Hongbing, Weaver Connie M
GEMS Department, Health Studies Institute, Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA.
Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
J Am Coll Nutr. 2021 Mar-Apr;40(3):273-279. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1765893. Epub 2020 May 13.
Potassium intake deficiency is a chronic issue in the US and many other countries. Possible causes of the deficiency are understudied. This study examined potassium deficiency in the US population and possible causes for the new trend. Serum potassium data of 28,379 men and 29,617 women between ages 12 and 80 years old who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2016 were examined. Blood samples were collected by NHANES and blood biochemistry data were measured in designed laboratories. The data were released bi-annually. Possible causes of low potassium intakes were explored. There was an apparent decline of serum potassium in the US population between ages 12 and 80 years from 1999 to 2016. Annual average serum potassium concentrations changed from 4.14 ± 0.01 to 3.97 ± 0.01 mmol/l during this period. Hypokalemia prevalence in the US rose from 3.78%±0.68% to 11.06%±1.08% during this period with a higher hypokalemia prevalence in non-Hispanic black than in non-Hispanic white persons. It is possible that declining potassium concentration in food sources in the US contributed to lower potassium intake and increasing potassium deficiency. The rising trend of hypokalemia prevalence in the US population between 1999 and 2016 is alarming. Renewed efforts to reduce potassium intake deficiency in the US at population level are needed. The impact of possible decreasing crop available potassium levels and increasing consumption of processed food on the potassium deficit trend in the US are possible explanations for the rise in hypokalemia prevalence and require further study.
钾摄入不足在美国和许多其他国家都是一个长期存在的问题。该不足的可能成因尚未得到充分研究。本研究调查了美国人群中的钾缺乏情况以及这一新趋势的可能成因。研究分析了1999年至2016年间参加美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的28379名12至80岁男性和29617名12至80岁女性的血清钾数据。NHANES采集了血样，并在指定实验室测量了血液生化数据。这些数据每两年发布一次。研究探讨了低钾摄入的可能原因。1999年至2016年间，美国12至80岁人群的血清钾水平明显下降。在此期间，年度平均血清钾浓度从4.14±0.01毫摩尔/升降至3.97±0.01毫摩尔/升。在此期间，美国低钾血症患病率从3.78%±0.68%升至11.06%±1.08%，非西班牙裔黑人的低钾血症患病率高于非西班牙裔白人。美国食物来源中钾浓度的下降可能导致了钾摄入量降低和钾缺乏情况增加。1999年至2016年间美国人群低钾血症患病率的上升趋势令人担忧。需要在美国人群层面重新做出努力以减少钾摄入不足的情况。作物有效钾水平可能下降以及加工食品消费增加对美国钾缺乏趋势的影响，可能是低钾血症患病率上升的原因，需要进一步研究。
