Reducing the Intake of Sodium in Community Settings: Evaluation of Year One Activities in the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program, Arkansas, 2016–2017

Abstract

Purpose and ObjectivesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) aims to reduce dietary sodium intake through policy, systems, and environmental approaches. The objective of this study was to evaluate and document the progress of the first year of a 5-year SRCP project in northwest Arkansas.Intervention ApproachIn collaboration with 30 partner schools and 5 partner community meals programs, we sought to reduce dietary sodium intake through increased implementation of 1) food service guidelines, 2) procurement practices, 3) food preparation practices, and 4) environmental strategies.Evaluation MethodsWe collected daily menus, information on nutritional content of meals, and procurement records and counted the number of people served in partnering schools and community meals programs. We used a pretest–posttest quantitative evaluation design to analyze changes in the sodium content of meals from baseline to Year 1 follow-up.ResultsFrom baseline to Year 1 follow-up, participating schools lowered the mean sodium content served per lunch diner from 1,103 mg to 980 mg (−11.2%). The schools also reduced the mean sodium content of entrées offered (ie, entrées listed on the menu) from 674 mg to 625 mg (−7.3%) and entrées served from 615 mg to 589 mg (−4.2%). From baseline to follow-up, participating community meals programs reduced the mean sodium content of meals offered (ie, meals listed on the menu) from 1,710 mg to 1,053 mg (−38.4%). The community meals programs reduced the mean sodium content of meals served from 1,509 mg to 1,258 mg (−16.6%).Implications for Public HealthIn both venues, our evaluation findings showed reductions in sodium served during the 1-year evaluation period. These results highlight the potential effectiveness of sodium reduction interventions focused on food service guidelines, procurement practices, food preparation practices, and environmental strategies for schools and community meals programs.

Reducing Sodium Intake in Community Meals Programs: Evaluation of the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program, Arkansas, 2016–2019

“…The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) was awarded a 5-year SRCP project in 2016 to implement sodium reduction strategies in several venues in northwest Arkansas, including community meals programs (ie, programs that offer free meals to low-income clients). These venues were selected because they serve northwest Arkansas communities at heightened risk for hy-pertension, particularly Marshallese and Hispanic or Latino populations experiencing low incomes and food insecurity (8)(9)(10).…”

Sodium menu labelling: priorities for research and policy

“…The US FDA has released guidance for voluntary Na reduction to encourage restaurants and manufacturers to reduce Na in foods (42) . Several examples highlight successful Na reduction at the community level (43,44) . Additionally, several restaurants have committed to voluntarily reduce Na in menu items as part of the National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative, a programme convened by the New York City Health Department (45) .…”

A Community Partnership for Home Delivery of Food Boxes to COVID-19 Quarantined and Isolated Families

“…The effort included diverse partners, several of whom had long-standing relationships with UAMS through previous and ongoing CBPR projects. 26,27,29,32,33 Food was sourced from the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and food pantries, packaged into family-size boxes by three local food pantries, delivered to a central location by a community-based food distribution recovery organization, stored in a refrigerated truck donated by a local food industry vendor and distributor, and delivered through a combination of volunteer drivers of personal cars and volunteers paired with local regional buses available to run delivery routes. Churches, worksites, community-based organizations and UAMS provided volunteers.…”

“…The CBPR partnership launched several successful initiatives published elsewhere. [26][27][28][29] This long-standing CBPR partnership allowed for a rapid collaborative response to COVID-19 associated food insecurity.…”