Table 2.

Urinary data on sodium and potassium excretion by sex (13–18 years)^a

	Boys n=82	Girls n=118	p
Sodium (mg/day)a,b	3,725±1,445	3,062±1,379	<0.01
% of sodium excretion below 2,000 mg/dayc	9.8	22
Potassium (mg/day)a,b	2,237±704	1,904±593	<0.01
% of potassium excretion above 3,510 mg/dayd	6.1	1.7
Na/K ratioa,b	1.7±0.6	1.6±0.6	0.11

Na/K ratio, sodium-to-potassium ratio.

^aValues are mean± standard deviation.

^bAnalysis by Mann–Whitney U test.

^cAccording to the WHO guidelines for sodium intake (15).

^dAccording to the WHO guidelines for potassium intake (16).