Journal List > J Nutr Health > v.52(5) > 1136454

Ahn, Kwon, Kim, Lee, and Kim: Current status, perception and practicability of restaurant staffs related to reducing sodium use in Seongnam, Korea

Abstract

Purpose

With the increase of going out to eat, reducing the sodium in restaurant foods has a crucial impact on reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the current status and perceptions of restaurant staffs related to reducing sodium use in restaurants.

Methods

Restaurant managers and chefs (n = 312) in Seongnam area completed a questionnaire on the current status related to sodium use, the barriers to practice for reducing sodium use, support needs, and the practicability of methods for reducing sodium use in restaurants.

Results

The percentage of restaurants in the preaction stage (including the precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages) for reducing sodium use was 79.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that measuring salinity while cooking was associated with measuring seasoning (OR, 4.761; 95% CI, 2.325 ~ 9.751), action/maintenance stages of behavior change (OR, 2.829; 95% CI, 1.449 ~ 5.525) and providing salinity information of restaurant foods (OR, 6.314; 95% CI, 2.964 ~ 13.45). Maintaining taste and hindering the cooking process were the main barriers to reduce sodium use. The total practicability of actions for reducing sodium was higher in staffs who worked in restaurants that measured seasoning and salinity while cooking (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The hardest item to practice was ‘purchase foods after comparing sodium content in the nutrition labeling’. ‘Avoid serving salt-fermented foods as side dishes’, ‘serve small portions of kimchi and less salty kimchi’, and ‘put up promotional materials for reducing sodium intake’ were selected as easy items to perform. The majority (82%) was willing to reduce sodium in restaurant foods under the support of local government and they desired the promotion of participating restaurants and education on cooking skills to reduce sodium.

Conclusion

Measuring seasoning and salinity while cooking is a meaningful practice that is associated with stages of behavior change and the practicability of actions for reducing sodium. It is necessary to provide support and education with a gradual approach to staffs for reducing sodium in restaurant foods.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General characteristics of the participants

jnh-52-475-i001

1) Means ± SD

2) n (%)

Table 2

Recognition of social environment and current status related to reducing sodium intake

jnh-52-475-i002

1) n (%)

Table 3

Logistic regression analysis of correlating variables with measuring salt or salinity

jnh-52-475-i003

1) n (%)

2)*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 by chi-square test

Table 4

Positive outcome expectancies and barriers to reduce sodium use in restaurants

jnh-52-475-i004

1) n (%)

Table 5

Practicability of actions for reducing sodium use in restaurants

jnh-52-475-i005

1) p-value by t-test between groups

2) Means ± SD, Participants were asked to respond in 5 point scales ranging from 1 (very easy) to 5 (very difficult).

Table 6

Support needs to reduce sodium use in restaurants

jnh-52-475-i006

1) n (%)

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TOOLS
ORCID iDs

So-Hyun Ahn
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8888-4581

Jong Sook Kwon
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8559-9192

Kyungmin Kim
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3421-7577

Yoonna Lee
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2302-3646

Hye-Kyeong Kim
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1659-1709

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