1. Assessment of a Salt Reduction Intervention on Adult Population Salt Intake in Fiji.
- Author
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Pillay A, Trieu K, Santos JA, Sukhu A, Schultz J, Wate J, Bell C, Moodie M, Snowdon W, Ma G, Rogers K, and Webster J
- Subjects
- Adult, Diet Surveys, Diet, Sodium-Restricted methods, Eating physiology, Female, Fiji, Health Promotion methods, Humans, Hypertension prevention & control, Male, Middle Aged, Nutritional Status physiology, Pregnancy, Sodium, Dietary administration & dosage, Sodium, Dietary adverse effects, Diet, Sodium-Restricted statistics & numerical data, Program Evaluation, Sodium, Dietary urine
- Abstract
Reducing population salt intake is a global public health priority due to the potential to save lives and reduce the burden on the healthcare system through decreased blood pressure. This implementation science research project set out to measure salt consumption patterns and to assess the impact of a complex, multi-faceted intervention to reduce population salt intake in Fiji between 2012 and 2016. The intervention combined initiatives to engage food businesses to reduce salt in foods and meals with targeted consumer behavior change programs. There were 169 participants at baseline (response rate 28.2%) and 272 at 20 months (response rate 22.4%). The mean salt intake from 24-h urine samples was estimated to be 11.7 grams per day (g/d) at baseline and 10.3 g/d after 20 months (difference: -1.4 g/day, 95% CI -3.1 to 0.3, p = 0.115). Sub-analysis showed a statistically significant reduction in female salt intake in the Central Division but no differential impact in relation to age or ethnicity. Whilst the low response rate means it is not possible to draw firm conclusions about these changes, the population salt intake in Fiji, at 10.3 g/day, is still twice the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended maximum intake. This project also assessed iodine intake levels in women of child-bearing age and found that they were within recommended guidelines. Existing policies and programs to reduce salt intake and prevent iodine deficiency need to be maintained or strengthened. Monitoring to assess changes in salt intake and to ensure that iodine levels remain adequate should be built into future surveys., Competing Interests: J.W. is Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Population Salt Reduction with a remit to support countries to implement and evaluate salt reduction programs in line with the WHO target for all countries to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this study. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.
- Published
- 2017
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