Factors affecting the Amount of Sodium from Food Consumption among Working-Age Population, Phitsanulok Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate 1) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward consuming sodium-containing food; 2) the amount of sodium from food consumption; and 3) compare personal factors, nutritional status, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on dietary sodium intake with the amounts of dietary sodium intake among working-age population in Phitsanulok province. Samples of 250 working-age group calculated using an estimate a finite population mean were selected using multistage method. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and 24-hour urine sodium testing. Reliability test was conducted yielding a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.74. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test.     

The results showed that 1) among all participants, their moderate knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding dietary salt intake were 47.2%, 60.0%, and 56.4%, respectively; 2) their median 24-hour urinary sodium level was 3,436.20 mg/day; and 3) when comparing the amounts of sodium from food consumed with all their factors (personal, nutritional status, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on dietary sodium intake), the educational levels, occupations, and body mass index were significantly associated with dietary sodium intake 0.05. Thus, relevant agencies should urgently create health literacy or knowledge about health and diseases caused by high-salt intake, by integrating work with other public and private sector organizations to change people’s behaviors toward low-sodium intake, thereby lowering the future incidence of non-communicable diseases.