Does Sodium Knowledge Affect Dietary Choices and Health Behaviors? Results From a Survey of Los Angeles County Residents

Details

• Journal Article:
  Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD)
• Personal Author:
  Dewey, George ; Wickramasekaran, Ranjana N. ; Kuo, Tony ; Robles, Brenda
• Description:
  Introduction
  
  In 2010, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health launched a local sodium-reduction initiative to address the rising prevalence of high blood pressure (hypertension) and related cardiovascular conditions in the population. To inform this effort, we evaluated self-reported knowledge and health behaviors related to sodium intake among Los Angeles County residents.
  
  Methods
  
  We administered 3 cross-sectional Internet panel surveys on knowledge about dietary sodium to a sample of Los Angeles County adults, at intervals from December 2014 through August 2016. Multinomial and logistic regression models were constructed to describe associations between sodium knowledge and self-reported health behaviors.
  
  Results
  
  A total of 7,067 panel subjects clicked into the online survey, and 2,862 completed the survey (adjusted response rate = 40.5%). Only 102 respondents (3.6%) were able to accurately report the recommended milligrams of sodium that an average adult should consume daily (1,500 mg to 2300 mg). Knowing about daily sodium intake recommendations was associated with increased odds of using Nutrition Facts labels to make food purchase decisions (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59–7.60) and with decreased odds of taking measures to prevent hypertension (AOR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.19–0.74).
  
  Conclusions
  
  Los Angeles County residents had a limited knowledge of recommended daily sodium intake. Efforts to increase understanding of these recommendations may encourage wider engagement in healthy behaviors. Health agencies should integrate sodium reduction messages in their diet and nutrition educational efforts.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Aged Data Collection Female Food Preferences Health Behavior Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Male Middle Aged Sodium, Dietary Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  Prev Chronic Dis. 14.
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd14.170117
• ISSN:
  1545-1151
• Pubmed ID:
  29166247
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC5703653
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  U58 DP004927/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States
• Place as Subject:
  California
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  14
• Collection(s):
  Preventing Chronic Disease
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c0f9088a28d2852f2b1d8f0c54a1cfe8439cef43f36665c03a51581d2922e5459241fc262d27929dd07eaf40af494e2313703876a6433dcee882961f6385b760
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/50140/cdc_50140_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 458.75 KB ]