Abstract
Excessive dietary salt intake is prevalent in the Hong Kong community. Over the last decade, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting community participation to reduce salt intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the current knowledge levels and behaviors relating to dietary salt intake among Hong Kong adults. This cross-sectional survey involved 426 adults in Hong Kong. The findings of this study identified areas of knowledge deficit in the recommended upper limit of daily salt intake for an adult set by World Health Organization (n = 295, 69.2%) indicated a lack of awareness that the overconsumption of salt could cause coronary heart disease (n = 233, 54.7%). Disengagement with salt reduction behavior, such as rarely/never checking the sodium or salt content listed on the food label (n = 252, 59.2%) and rarely/never purchasing food labelled with low salt or no salt content (n = 292, 68.9%), was reported. Excessive salt intake in dietary habits remains an under-recognized non-communicable disease threat by Hong Kong citizens, indicating ineffective responsive risk communication. There is a need to refine existing salt reduction initiatives to aid in making appropriate decisions regarding dietary salt intake among Hong Kong citizens.
Highlights
For at least the past decade, Hong Kong health authorities have implemented many actions directed at educating the population of Hong Kong about problems associated with excessive salt intake and at attempting to assist people to adopt behaviors that will reduce their salt intake
There is a need to refine existing salt reduction initiatives to aid in making appropriate decisions regarding dietary salt intake among Hong Kong citizens
The significant weak association between knowledge and salt reduction behavior may suggest that Hong Kong citizens who attempt to engage with salt reduction behavior may not benefit due to a knowledge deficit
Summary
For at least the past decade, Hong Kong health authorities have implemented many actions directed at educating the population of Hong Kong about problems associated with excessive salt intake and at attempting to assist people to adopt behaviors that will reduce their salt intake. The goal of reducing personal salt intake by 30% by 2025 was established and is consistent with global health goals [1,2]. Salt reduction strategies have been implemented at a population level through food labelling schemes, healthy eating promotion campaigns, risk assessment measures, trade consultations, and food product reformulation [2,3,4]. Over 85% of the Hong Kong population aged 15–84 consume dietary salt above the WHO recommended daily limit [5]. According to current laboratory measurements and behavioral surveys, the mean urinary sodium excretion over 24 h among healthy Chinese adults in Hong Kong was 7.3 ± 3.2 g salt/d, which exceeds the World Health Organization standard of
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