A Mobile Phone App Intervention to Promote Healthy Salt Intake Among Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Study.

Abstract

BackgroundThere is sound evidence associating high salt intake and a greater risk of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular diseases. High salt intake has been observed in several populations worldwide. Therefore, promoting healthier salt consumption has been encouraged as a low-cost strategy to reduce this risk factor. However, these strategies need to be sound, built on theoretical and methodological bases, and consider the target population’s context.ObjectiveThis protocol aims to describe a mobile phone app intervention to promote healthy salt intake among adults.MethodsThis is an experimental and longitudinal study protocol conducted in three modules. Module 1 refers to the planning of the intervention based on the Behaviour Change Wheel framework. Module 2 is the development of the mobile phone app intervention based on the date of module 1. In module 3, the intervention will be evaluated using a randomized controlled study, with three steps of data collection in a 2-month follow-up in a sample of 86 adults (43 participants for each group: the control group and intervention group) recruited from the primary health care centers of a Brazilian town. The discretionary salt intake questionnaire will assess salt consumption, the app usability will be assessed using the System Usability Scale, and psychosocial variables (habit, intention, and self-efficacy) will also be measured.ResultsRecruitment began in October 2021, and the follow-up will end in August 2022. The results of this study are expected to be published in 2023.ConclusionsResults from this study will help people to control salt intake when cooking at home, will stimulate self-care, will work as an alternative or supportive method in the relationship between health care professionals and patients, and will contribute to implementing the app intervention to promote healthy salt intake on a large scale.Trial RegistrationThe Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry RBR-4s8qyyq; https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4s8qyyqInternational Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37853