Comparison of salt-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours between parents and caregivers of children under 18 years of age and other adults who do not care for children under 18 years of age in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Background/AimsSalt intake among Australian adults exceeds recommendations, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KABs) are modifiable factors that may influence salt consumption. It is not known whether salt-related KABs among parents and caregivers of children under 18 years of age differ from other adults who do not care for children under 18 years of age. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether salt-related KABs differed between parents and caregivers and other adults. This information can be used to inform messages included in salt reduction consumer awareness campaigns.MethodsAdults, aged 18–65 years, were recruited from four shopping centres, Facebook and a consumer research panel in the state of Victoria, Australia. Participants indicated if they were a parent or a caregiver of a child/children <18 years (‘parents/caregivers’) or not (‘other adults’). Regression models, adjusted for covariates, assessed differences in KABs between the two groups. Construct scores for KABs were developed, with high scores for knowledge indicative of high salt-related knowledge, for attitude indicative of lower importance of using salt to enhance the taste of food, and for behaviours indicative of higher frequency of engaging in behaviours to reduce salt in the diet.ResultsA total of 840 parents/caregivers and 1558 other adults completed the survey. Just over half of the parents/caregivers and other adults were female, with a mean (SD) age of 41.1 (10.3) years and 44.3 (15.3) years, respectively. Mean construct scores for salt-related KABs were similar between the two groups. Parents/caregivers were less likely to be aware of the relationship between salt and sodium (OR=0.73, p=0.002) and more likely to report difficulty in interpreting sodium information displayed on food labels (OR=1.36, p=0.004). Parents/caregivers were more likely to be concerned about a range of food-related issues, including the amount of saturated fat, sugar and salt in food. Parents/caregivers were more likely to report that they were trying to reduce their salt intake (OR=1.27, p=0.012) and more likely to report adding salt at the table (OR=1.28, p=0.008).ConclusionsThere were some differences in salt-related KABs between parents/caregivers and other adults. These findings provide insight into particular messages that could be focused on in consumer awareness campaigns that seek to improve parents’/caregivers’ KABs related to salt intake. Specifically, messages targeted at parents/caregivers should include practical guidance to reduce table salt and resources to assist in interpreting sodium information on food labels and the relationship of sodium to salt.

Healthy eating perceptions of mothers and caregivers of children in South Africa

“…The findings of the study indicated that only 47% of the respondents are of the view that what they eat and drink are healthy and find no reason to make changes. This was in line with an Australian study done by Khokhar et al ( 2019 ), which reported that the majority of caregivers were concerned about the amount of fat, sugar and salt added to their meals and perceived that reducing the amount of salt, fats and sugar in their meals will lead to better health. In a study by Sharma et al ( 2018 ), caregivers reported that they preferred unhealthy junk foods such as snacks and beverages because of being convenient as compared to healthy foods that take time to prepare.…”

The association of parents’ behaviors related to salt with 24 h urinary sodium excretion of their children: A Spanish cross-sectional study

“…Given the knowledge of the current excessive sodium intake in Spanish children and the benefits of decreasing salt intake from an early age to reduce the likelihood of a diet high in salt during adulthood or to prevent cardiovascular disease [16], it is useful to try to understand current patterns involving schoolchildren and their environment regarding behaviors related to salt intake. These behaviors include the use of discretionary salt (adding salt at the table or when cooking) and checking the sodium content on food labeling [17]. Furthermore, given children’s vulnerability to developing a preference for salty foods, it would be interesting to analyze whether these behaviors are related to children’s greater preference for salty foods.…”