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Objective: To explore the perspectives, barriers and enablers on salt reduction in out-of-home sectors in Malaysia among street food vendors, caterers and consumers. Design: A qualitative study involving twenty-two focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews was conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data. Setting: Two in-depth interviews and twenty-two focus group discussions were conducted face-to-face. Four in-depth interviews were conducted online. Participants: Focus group discussions were conducted among twenty-three street food vendors, twenty-one caterers and seventy-six consumers of various eateries. In-depth interviews were conducted among two street food vendors and four caterers, individually. Results: Consumers and food operators perceived a high-salt intake within Malaysia's out-of-home food sectors. Food operators emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive salt reduction policy in the out-of-home sector involving all stakeholders. Consumers faced limited awareness and knowledge, counterproductive practices among food operators and challenges in accessing affordable low-Na food products, whereas food operators faced the lack of standardised guidelines and effective enforcement mechanisms and uncooperative consumer practices. Both groups expressed that food quality and price of salt were also the barriers, and they advocated for awareness promotion, enhanced regulation of manufactured food products and stricter enforcement targeting vendors. Consumers also suggested promoting and recognising health-conscious food premises, whereas food operators suggested on knowledge enhancement tailored to them, strategies for gaining consumers acceptance and maintaining food quality. Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights that serve as foundational evidence for developing and implementing salt reduction policies within Malaysia's out-of-home sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand the extent to which national salt reduction strategies in Malaysia and Mongolia were implemented and achieving their intended outcomes. Design: Multiple methods process evaluations conducted at the mid-point of strategy implementation, guided by theoretical frameworks. Setting: Malaysia (2018–2019) and Mongolia (2020–2021). Participants: Desk-based reviews of related documents, interviews with key stakeholders (n 12 Malaysia, n 10 Mongolia), focus group discussions with health professionals in Malaysia (n 43) and health provider surveys in Mongolia (n 12). Results: Both countries generated high-quality local evidence about salt intake and levels in foods and culturally specific education resources. In Malaysia, education and reformulation activities were delivered with moderate dose (quantity) but reach among the population was low. Within 5 years, Mongolia implemented education among schools, health professionals and food producers on salt reduction with high reach, but with moderate dose (quantity) and reach among the general population. Both countries faced challenges in implementing legislative interventions (mandatory salt labelling and salt limits in packaged foods) and both could improve the scaling up of their reformulation and education activities. Conclusions: In the first half of Malaysia's and Mongolia's strategies, both countries generated necessary evidence and education materials, mobilised health professionals to deliver salt reduction education and achieved small-scale reformulation in foods. Both subsequently should focus on implementing regulatory policies and achieving population-wide reach and impact. Process evaluations of existing salt reduction strategies can help strengthen intervention delivery, aiding achievement of WHO's 30 % reduction in salt intake by 2025 target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the perspectives, barriers and enablers on salt reduction in out-of-home sectors in Malaysia among street food vendors, caterers and consumers., Design: A qualitative study involving twenty-two focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews was conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data., Setting: Two in-depth interviews and twenty-two focus group discussions were conducted face-to-face. Four in-depth interviews were conducted online., Participants: Focus group discussions were conducted among twenty-three street food vendors, twenty-one caterers and seventy-six consumers of various eateries. In-depth interviews were conducted among two street food vendors and four caterers, individually., Results: Consumers and food operators perceived a high-salt intake within Malaysia's out-of-home food sectors. Food operators emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive salt reduction policy in the out-of-home sector involving all stakeholders. Consumers faced limited awareness and knowledge, counterproductive practices among food operators and challenges in accessing affordable low-Na food products, whereas food operators faced the lack of standardised guidelines and effective enforcement mechanisms and uncooperative consumer practices. Both groups expressed that food quality and price of salt were also the barriers, and they advocated for awareness promotion, enhanced regulation of manufactured food products and stricter enforcement targeting vendors. Consumers also suggested promoting and recognising health-conscious food premises, whereas food operators suggested on knowledge enhancement tailored to them, strategies for gaining consumers acceptance and maintaining food quality., Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights that serve as foundational evidence for developing and implementing salt reduction policies within Malaysia's out-of-home sectors.