Pertinence of Salt-Related Knowledge and Reported Behaviour on Salt Intake in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Dietary Habits Research

Background:

• High salt intake is a significant public health concern globally.
• Understanding the relationship between salt knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) and actual consumption is crucial for effective interventions.
• Current data on salt-related KAB and consumption patterns in Greek adults remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between salt intake, measured by 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, and salt-related KAB in Greek adults.
• To explore the influence of socio-demographic factors on salt consumption and KAB.
• To identify potential targets for public health strategies aimed at reducing salt intake.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 463 Greek adults.
• Salt consumption assessed via 24-hour urinary sodium excretion.
• Self-reported salt-related knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) data collected and scored.
• Statistical analysis using cohort-adjusted models, stratified by cohort (adults and students).

Main Results:

• Average daily salt intake was 9.54 g, substantially exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation.
• Significant variations in salt knowledge scores were observed across different sexes, age groups, education levels, and BMI.
• No statistically significant direct correlation was found between daily salt intake and either salt-related knowledge (p = 0.562) or behavior scores (p = 0.210).

Conclusions:

• Existing salt-related knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) do not directly predict actual salt consumption levels in Greek adults.
• The high salt intake highlights a critical need for public health interventions.
• Industry-led food product reformulation and policy changes are essential to effectively reduce population-level salt consumption.