Racial Differences in Serum Sodium and Blood Pressure Regulation

Nearly nine-in-ten Americans overconsume salt. Black individuals are more prone to salt-sensitive hypertension. The central goal of the study is to determine if dietary sodium influences blood vessel function and nervous system regulation of blood pressure differentially in black, compared to white individuals. These findings may help to explain why high dietary salt causes increases in blood pressure more frequently in black, compared to white individuals. A secondary goal of this project is to also determine the role of lifestyle factors (i.e., sleep, physical activity, and nutrition) on potential baseline racial differences in cardiovascular function.