Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward dietary salt intake among adults in Haiphong, Vietnam

Abstract

Excessive salt intake is a significant contributor to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Data on knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to salt consumption in Vietnam are currently insufficient. This community-based cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dietary salt intake among 400 Vietnamese adults. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Only 28.2% of participants demonstrated good knowledge, 40.5% had positive attitudes, and 42.5% exhibited good practices toward dietary salt intake. The percentage of participants who frequently checked information about the amount of salt in food and stated that it often influenced their purchasing decisions is around 40%. Additionally, 52% of participants often try to buy “low-salt” food. Most participants frequently add salt to their food when preparing and cooking (94.8%), add salt to food at the table (84%), and use spices for cooking (97%). Among the participants, 63.8% claimed to be attempting to reduce their salt intake in their daily diet. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, knowledge, and attitudes were associated with good salt-related practices. A communication program should be implemented to improve peop