Dietary sodium reduction among students: feasibility and acceptance.

TitleDietary sodium reduction among students: feasibility and acceptance.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1985
AuthorsWitschi JC, Ellison RC, Doane DD, Vorkink GL, SLACK WV, Stare FJ
JournalJ Am Diet Assoc
Volume85
Issue7
Pagination816-21
Date Published1985 Jul
ISSN0002-8223
KeywordsAdolescent, Attitude, Diet Surveys, Diet, Sodium-Restricted, Food Services, Humans, Pilot Projects, Random Allocation, Schools, Sodium
Abstract

Modifications in the preparation of food served in a boarding high school during a 5-week period were successful in decreasing the sodium content of a variety of food products by an average of 51%. Such food was, in general, well accepted. The ratings of specific reduced-sodium food products equaled those of similar products containing "usual" amounts of sodium. Food diaries kept by students gave estimates of total sodium intake comparable with those measured by laboratory analysis of 24-hour food collections. Food diaries collected from an average of 70 volunteers per week indicated that during the reduced-sodium period, the total sodium intake of students, including that from dining hall food, snack food, and food consumed outside the school, decreased from 136 mEq (3 gm sodium, 8 gm salt) to 88 mEq (2 gm sodium, 5 gm salt), a reduction of 35% (p less than .0001). The impact of salt added at the table was very small; the choice and the quantity of foods consumed were the main determinants of sodium intake. The results indicate that foods can be prepared with appreciably less sodium and still be highly acceptable to young people.

URLhttps://europepmc.org/abstract/med/4008832
Alternate JournalJ Am Diet Assoc
PubMed ID4008832
Grant ListLM 03393 / LM / NLM NIH HHS / United States