title: The salt content of products from popular fast-food chains in Costa Rica.
abstract: Salt is a major determinant of population blood pressure levels. Salt intake in Costa Rica is above levels required for good health. With an increasing number of Costa Ricans visiting fast food restaurants, it is likely that fast-food is contributing to daily salt intake. Salt content data from seven popular fast food chains in Costa Rica were collected in January 2013. Products were classified into 10 categories. Mean salt content was compared between chains and categories. Statistical analysis was performed using Welch ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer HSD tests. Significant differences were found between companies; Subway products had lowest mean salt content (0.97 g/100 g; p < 0.05) while Popeye's and KFC had the highest (1.57 g/100 g; p < 0.05). Significant variations in mean salt content were observed between categories. Salads had a mean salt content of 0.45 g/100 g while sauces had 2.16 g/100 g (p < 0.05). Wide variation in salt content was also seen within food categories. Salt content in sandwiches ranged from 0.5 to 2.1 g/100 g. The high levels and wide variation in salt content of fast food products in Costa Rica suggest that salt reduction is likely to be technically feasible in many cases. With an increasing number of consumers purchasing fast foods, even small improvements in salt levels could produce important health gains.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nutrition and Health, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud (INCIENSA), PO Box 4-2250, Tres Ríos, Costa Rica. Electronic address: katrihe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heredia-Blonval
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nutrition and Health, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud (INCIENSA), PO Box 4-2250, Tres Ríos, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco-Metzler
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nutrition and Health, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud (INCIENSA), PO Box 4-2250, Tres Ríos, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Marielos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montero-Campos
authors.affiliation: The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney. PO Box M201. Missenden Rd, Camperdown, NSW 2050. Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Dunford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003364:Costa Rica; D003906:Developing Countries; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted / Q000208:ethnology; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000208:ethnology; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019456:Health Transition; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary
keywords: Fast foods; Labeling; Salt; Sodium