Sánchez Germana, Peña Lorena, Varea Soledad, Mogrovejo Patricia, Goetschel María Lorena, Montero-Campos María de los Ángeles, Mejía Raúl, Blanco-Metzler Adriana
Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud, San José, Costa Rica.
Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2012 Oct;32(4):259-64. doi: 10.1590/s1020-49892012001000003.
To identify the knowledge, perceptions, and behavior related to the consumption of salt and sodium in food and its relationship to health and the nutritional labeling of food in three countries of the Region.
Qualitative-exploratory study based on semi-structured interviews, according to the categories of the Health Belief Model. Thirty-four interviews and six focus groups were conducted with community leaders (71 total respondents) in rural and urban areas of Argentina, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.
Salt consumption varies in the rural and urban areas of the three countries. Most interviewees felt that food could not be consumed unsalted and that only people who consume an excessive amount of salt would have health risks. They did not know that processed food contains salt and sodium. Although they did not measure the amount of aggregate salt in foods, the participants believed that they consumed little salt and did not perceive that their health was at risk. The majority of the participants did not review nutritional information, and those who did said that they did not understand it.
There is public awareness about salt, but not about the term "sodium." More salt and sodium are consumed than what is reported and there are no prospects of reducing that consumption. Although it is understood that excessive consumption of salt is a health risk, participants do not perceive that they are at risk. Replacing the word "sodium" with the word "salt" would facilitate food selection.
确定该地区三个国家与食物中盐和钠的摄入相关的知识、认知及行为，以及其与健康和食品营养标签的关系。
根据健康信念模型的类别，基于半结构化访谈开展定性探索性研究。在阿根廷、哥斯达黎加和厄瓜多尔的农村和城市地区，与社区领袖进行了34次访谈和6次焦点小组讨论（共71名受访者）。
三个国家农村和城市地区的盐摄入量各不相同。大多数受访者认为食物不能无盐食用，只有摄入过量盐的人才会有健康风险。他们不知道加工食品中含有盐和钠。尽管参与者没有测量食物中的总盐量，但他们认为自己摄入的盐很少，并未意识到自己的健康面临风险。大多数参与者没有查看营养信息，而查看过的人表示他们看不懂。
公众对盐有认识，但对“钠”这个词不了解。盐和钠的摄入量高于报告的水平，且没有减少摄入量的前景。尽管人们知道过量摄入盐有健康风险，但参与者并未意识到自己处于风险之中。用“盐”一词取代“钠”一词将有助于食物选择。
