When discussing dietary factors in hypertension, most interest now focuses on two aspects, namely the relationship between total calorie intake and hypertension and the association between sodium consumption and hypertension. However, a person who consumes an excess of calories, also ingests an excess of many foodstuffs. This review will concentrate on a discussion of total calorie consumption and sodium intake, and will refer briefly to other dietary measures such as increasing the potassium or fibre content of the diet.