Neusa Jessen1,2, Artur Santos3, Albertino Damasceno4,5,6, Carla Silva-Matos7, Milton Severo5, Patrícia Padrão5,8, Nuno Lunet5,6. 1. Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Av. Salvador Allende 702, Maputo, Mozambique. neusa.jessen@gmail.com. 2. EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, no. 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal. neusa.jessen@gmail.com. 3. Faculdade de Ciências de Saúde, Universidade Lurio, Bairro de Marrere, Rua número 4250, Km2.3, Nampula, Mozambique. 4. Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Av. Salvador Allende 702, Maputo, Mozambique. 5. EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, no. 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal. 6. Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal. 7. Unidade de Gestão do Fundo Global-Direção de Planificação e Cooperação, Ministério da Saúde de Moçambique, Av. Eduardo Mondlane, 1008, Maputo, Mozambique. 8. Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Health education and regulatory measures may contribute to lower population salt intake. Therefore, we aimed to describe knowledge and behaviors related to salt intake in Mozambique. SUBJECTS/ METHODS: A cross-sectional evaluation of a representative sample of the population aged 15-64 years (n = 3116) was conducted in 2014/2015, following the Stepwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance, including a 12-question module for evaluation of dietary salt. RESULTS: Three dimensions were identified in the questionnaire, named "self-reported salt intake", "knowledge of health effects of salt intake", and "behaviors for control of salt intake". A total of 7.4% of the participants perceived that they consumed too much/far too much salt and 25.9% reported adding salt/salty seasoning often/always to prepared foods. The proportion considering that it was not important to decrease the salt contents of their diet was 8%, and 16.9% were not aware that high salt intake could be deleterious for health. Prevalences of lack of behaviors for reducing salt intake ranged from 74.9% for not limiting consumption of processed foods, to 95% for not buying low salt alternatives. There were few differences according to socio-demographic variables, but awareness of hypertension was, in general, associated with better knowledge and less frequent behaviors likely to contribute to a high salt intake. CONCLUSIONS: Most Mozambicans were aware that high salt intake can cause health problems, but the self-reported salt intake and behaviors for its control show an ample margin for improvement. This study provides evidence to guide population level salt-reducing policies.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: Health education and regulatory measures may contribute to lower population salt intake. Therefore, we aimed to describe knowledge and behaviors related to salt intake in Mozambique. SUBJECTS/ METHODS: A cross-sectional evaluation of a representative sample of the population aged 15-64 years (n = 3116) was conducted in 2014/2015, following the Stepwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance, including a 12-question module for evaluation of dietary salt. RESULTS: Three dimensions were identified in the questionnaire, named "self-reported salt intake", "knowledge of health effects of salt intake", and "behaviors for control of salt intake". A total of 7.4% of the participants perceived that they consumed too much/far too much salt and 25.9% reported adding salt/salty seasoning often/always to prepared foods. The proportion considering that it was not important to decrease the salt contents of their diet was 8%, and 16.9% were not aware that high salt intake could be deleterious for health. Prevalences of lack of behaviors for reducing salt intake ranged from 74.9% for not limiting consumption of processed foods, to 95% for not buying low salt alternatives. There were few differences according to socio-demographic variables, but awareness of hypertension was, in general, associated with better knowledge and less frequent behaviors likely to contribute to a high salt intake. CONCLUSIONS: Most Mozambicans were aware that high salt intake can cause health problems, but the self-reported salt intake and behaviors for its control show an ample margin for improvement. This study provides evidence to guide population level salt-reducing policies.
Authors: Georgios Marakis; Antonios Katsioulis; Lamprini Kontopoulou; Anke Ehlers; Katharina Heimberg; Karen Ildico Hirsch-Ernst; Tomaž Langerholc; Hanna Adamska; Ewa Matyjaszczyk; K D Renuka Silva; K A Chathurika Madumali; Tai-Sheng Yeh; Ling-Jan Chiou; Mei-Jen Lin; Georgios Karpetas; Anke Weissenborn Journal: Arch Public Health Date: 2021-05-04