Knowledge and Practices Related to Salt Intake among Saudi Adults

Abstract

In Saudi Arabia, data regarding salt-related knowledge and practices are still lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate salt-related knowledge and practices and associated factors in Saudi adults. Data on the following variables were collected from 467 participants living in Madinah or Jeddah via face-to-face interviews: demographics, anthropometrics (height and weight), blood pressure (assessed using a digital sphygmomanometer), salt-related knowledge, and practices related to salt intake. Salt-related knowledge and practices were limited among the study participants; however, they were not correlated (rs = 0.10). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that salt-related practices were negatively associated with sodium intake and positively associated with body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), whereas salt-related knowledge was not associated with sodium intake, blood pressure, or BMI. Salt-related knowledge is limited and not linked to practices related to salt intake in Saudi adults. Interventions are needed to increase the accessibility of low-sodium food options and improve practices limiting sodium intake to prevent the occurrence of salt-related diseases among adults in Saudi Arabia.

Salt Reduction Initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Evaluation of Progress towards the 2025 Global Target: A Systematic Review

“…These countries include Egypt, Iran, Jordan, KSA, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, and the UAE. Most of the KAB surveys were based on questions relating to knowledge of the adverse health effects of high salt intake, attitudes towards the reduction of salt intake and its importance, as well as consumers’ behavior such as adding salt to food prior to tasting, or cooking with low-salt products [ 29 , 30 , 52 , 54 , 70 , 75 , 79 , 82 , 87 , 88 , 125 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 ].…”

“…The available few studies on salt-related attitude in the region have also revealed that only a small proportion of consumers were concerned about the amount of salt consumed in their diets [ 88 ]. At the same time, suboptimal practices were identified, with a small percentage of consumers reporting to check salt-related information on the food label [ 88 , 130 ], while the vast majority reported to add salt during cooking or at the table [ 52 , 79 , 88 , 126 , 127 , 131 , 133 , 134 , 140 ]. It is recommended that countries of the region consult these KAB findings when developing or further tailoring their consumer education initiatives in order to address culture-specific gaps in knowledge and attitude towards salt reduction.…”

“…In Morocco, the bakers’ knowledge in relation to salt reduction in bread was assessed [ 125 ], but progress could not be assessed given the lack of baseline estimates. We were able to identify published studies that have assessed salt-related KAB before the implementation of consumer awareness initiatives and afterwards in four countries of the region: Jordan, KSA, Oman, and the UAE [ 52 , 54 , 87 , 88 , 131 , 133 , 134 , 137 , 139 , 204 ]. However, the fact that different population groups and different questionnaires were used to assess KAB at the two distinct time points within the countries would undoubtedly limit the comparability of the data.…”

Saudi Arabia’s Healthy Food Strategy: Progress & Hurdles in the 2030 Road

“…At the consumer end, several cross-sectional studies conducted between 2019 and 2020 among adults and university students assessed their knowledge, attitude and behavior towards several dietary components, including SSF. The results revealed that participants had poor knowledge and an elevated consumption of salt, good knowledge of added sugar health risks, yet an elevated intake of sweets and fast foods and a low consumption of F&V [ 52 , 53 , 54 ]. An assessment among Saudi adults prior to the HFS implementation related poor fiber intake to the expensive prices of fruits and vegetables, limited availability and dislike of their taste [ 55 ].…”

Factors Related to Lacking Knowledge on the Recommended Daily Salt Intake among Medical Professionals in Mongolia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…This finding also supports those from a previous study reporting that people who are aware of the daily limit of salt intake are more likely to take action to reduce dietary salt consumption [ 20 ]. In Mongolia, people who consume salted suutei tsai consume significantly more salt on average [ 21 ]; thus, a focus on salted suutei tsai consumption may be important to reduce salt intake in this population, also because salt-related practices are negatively associated with sodium intake [ 22 ].…”