Reducing the Salt Added to Takeaway Food: Within-Subjects Comparison of Salt Delivered by Five and 17 Holed Salt Shakers in Controlled Conditions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the amount of salt delivered by standard salt shakers commonly used in English independent takeaways varies between those with five and 17 holes; and to determine if any differences are robust to variations in: the amount of salt in the shaker, the length of time spent shaking, and the person serving.


METHODS
Four laboratory experiments comparing the amount of salt delivered by shakers. Independent variables considered were: type of shaker used (five or 17 holes), amount of salt in the shaker before shaking commences (shaker full, half full or nearly empty), time spent shaking (3s, 5s or 10s), and individual serving.


METHODS
Controlled, laboratory, conditions.


METHODS
A quota-based convenience sample of 10 participants (five women) aged 18-59 years.


METHODS
Amount of salt delivered by salt shakers.


RESULTS
Across all trials, the 17 holed shaker delivered a mean (SD) of 7.86g (4.54) per trial, whilst the five holed shaker delivered 2.65g (1.22). The five holed shaker delivered a mean of 33.7% of the salt of the 17 holed shaker. There was a significant difference in salt delivered between the five and 17 holed salt shakers when time spent shaking, amount of salt in the shaker and participant were all kept constant (p<0.001). This difference was robust to variations in the starting weight of shakers, time spent shaking and participant shaking (ps</ = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Five holed salt shakers have the potential to reduce the salt content of takeaway food, and particularly food from Fish & Chip shops, where these shakers are particularly used. Further research will be required to determine the effects of this intervention on customers' salt intake with takeaway food and on total dietary salt intake.
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.|Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Louis
L
Goffe
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.|Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Wendy
W
Wrieden
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.|Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Linda
L
Penn
Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.|Obesity Research Group, School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6BH, United Kingdom.
Frances
F
Hillier-Brown
Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.|Centre for Public Policy & Health, School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6BH, United Kingdom.
Amelia A
AA
Lake
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.|Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Vera
V
Araujo-Soares
Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.|Obesity Research Group, School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University, Queen's Campus, Stockton on Tees, TS17 6BH, United Kingdom.
Carolyn
C
Summerbell
Centre for Diet and Activity Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
Martin
M
White
Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.|Fuse-the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Ashley J
AJ
Adamson
Centre for Diet and Activity Research, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 285, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
Jean
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5733-7830
J
Adams
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