The epidemiology of diet and blood pressure.

Epidemiological studies of diet and blood pressure support the concept that some dietary nutrients are strongly related to blood pressure and are amenable to modifications, with a likely impact on the incidence of hypertension and of related vascular events. For other potential nutrients, the evidence is more difficult to obtain. Further studies are required to establish 1) the practical value of assessment of individual nutrients versus dietary patterns in risk prediction, 2) the effects of changes of these individual nutrients versus dietary patterns on blood pressure, and 3) whether long-term changes in these individual nutrients or dietary patterns reduce the incidence of hypertension and can be implemented at a population level.