Insulin resistance can be induced by diets high in simple carbohydrates or fatty acids. To determine whether these nutrients also affect arterial pressure in genetic models of salt sensitive and salt resistant hypertension, Dahl salt sensitive (S) and salt resistant (R) rats were each fed the following isocaloric diets containing 3% NaCl for 4 weeks (10 rats/group): 1) control; 2) high sucrose (60%); 3) high linoleic acid (LA, provided as 10% safflower oil); and 4) high sucrose plus high LA. Tail systolic blood pressures (SBP) were measured weekly, and at 4 weeks, direct mean arterial pressures (MBP) were measured in conscious animals. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by in vitro uptake of tritiated glucose by adipocytes in response to graded doses of insulin. Weight gain did not differ among groups. High sucrose alone and high LA alone did not affect blood pressure in either strain. However, SBP and MBP were increased (P < .05) by the high sucrose plus high LA diet in Dahl-S but not in Dahl-R rats. Sucrose alone and LA alone decreased (P < .05) insulin sensitivity in Dahl-S and Dahl-R rats. In both strains, sucrose plus LA decreased insulin sensitivity to a greater extent (P < .05) than sucrose alone or LA alone. Thus, the sucrose plus LA diet decreased insulin sensitivity in both Dahl-S and Dahl-R rats, whereas blood pressure was increased only in Dahl-S rats. The phenotype of elevated arterial pressure is influenced both by a genetic-nutrient interaction and by an interaction among specific nutrients resulting in insulin resistance.