title: Attitudes and beliefs of health risks associated with sodium intake in diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite good evidence that reducing sodium intake can reduce blood pressure (BP), salt intake in people with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remains high. The purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge and beliefs of health risks associated with a high salt diet in adults with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men and women with T1DM (n = 27; age 38 ± 16 years) or T2DM (n = 124; age 60 ± 11 years) were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine (6.0%) respondents knew the correct maximum daily recommended upper limit for salt intake. Thirty-six (23.9%) participants were not concerned with the amount of salt in their diet. Most participants knew that a diet high in salt was related to high BP (88.1%) and stroke (78.1%) and that foods such as pizza (80.8%) and bacon (84.8%) were high in salt. Fewer than 30% of people knew that foods such as white bread, cheese and breakfast cereals are high in salt (white bread 28.5%, cheese 29.1%, breakfast cereals 19.9%) and 51.0% correctly ranked three different nutrition information panels based on the sodium content. Label reading and purchase of low salt products was used by 60-80% of the group. Estimated average 24 hour urinary sodium excretion was 169 ± 32 mmol/24 h in men and 115 ± 27 mmol/24 h in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Label reading and purchase of low salt products was used by the majority of the group but their salt excretion was still high. Men who used label reading had a lower salt intake. Other strategies to promote a lower sodium intake such as reducing sodium in staple foods such as bread need investigation.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristy L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristina S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Clifton
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: Jennifer.Keogh@unisa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Keogh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003469:Culture; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D004032:Diet; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005515:Food Labeling; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000652:urine; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000652:urine; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D012982:Sodium, Dietary
keywords: Diabetes; Health risks; Knowledge; Nutrition; Sodium excretion