The relationship of health/food literacy and salt awareness to daily sodium and potassium intake among a workplace population in Switzerland

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2017.10.028Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Sodium/salt and potassium intake did not meet recommended levels.

  • Salt intake tended to be lower in people of higher literacy and awareness.

  • No significant association of health/food literacy with salt and potassium intake.

  • Salt awareness better explained differences in salt and potassium intake.

  • Along with food reformulation, education measures must enhance food choice skills.

Abstract

Background and aims

High sodium (Na) and low potassium (K) intake are associated with hypertension and CVD risk. This study explored the associations of health literacy (HL), food literacy (FL), and salt awareness with salt intake, K intake, and Na/K ratio in a workplace intervention trial in Switzerland.

Methods and results

The study acquired baseline data from 141 individuals, mean age 44.6 years. Na and K intake were estimated from a single 24-h urine collection. We applied validated instruments to assess HL and FL, and salt awareness. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the association of explanatory variables with salt intake, K intake, and Na/K. Mean daily salt intake was 8.9 g, K 3.1 g, and Na/K 1.18. Salt intake was associated with sex (p < 0.001), and K intake with sex (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.02), and waist-to-height ratio (p = 0.03), as was Na/K. HL index and FL score were not significantly associated with salt or K intake but the awareness variable “salt content impacts food/menu choice” was associated with salt intake (p = 0.005).

Conclusion

To achieve the established targets for population Na and K intake, health-related knowledge, abilities, and skills related to Na/salt and K intake need to be promoted through combined educational and structural interventions.

Clinical Trials Registry number: DRKS00006790 (23/09/2014).

Keywords

Sodium
Potassium
Na/K ratio
Health literacy
Food literacy
Salt awareness
24-h urine
Hypertension

Abbreviations

BMI
Body mass index
BP
Blood pressure
CVD
Cardiovascular diseases
FL
Food literacy
HL
Health literacy
K
Potassium
Na
Sodium
WHO
World Health Organization
WHtR
Waist-to-height ratio

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