Exploring Dietary Salt Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among People of African Descent in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Sampling and Recruitment Process
2.2. Eligibility Criteria
- Age: Must be 18 years or older.
- Ethnic background: individuals of African descent.
- Residence: currently residing in the UK.
- Language: English.
- Health: generally in good health, without chronic conditions that can hinder participation in the study.
- Cognitive ability: participants must be able to read, understand, and provide written informed consent based on the participant information sheet.
- Internet literacy: competent in using online platforms and tools.
2.3. Ethical Approval
2.4. Data Collection
2.5. Data Analysis
2.6. Reflexivity and Positionality
2.7. Sample Size Determination
3. Results
3.1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants
3.2. Selection of Participant
3.3. Identified Themes
3.3.1. Theme 1: The Multifaceted Roles of Salt in Culinary Practises
3.3.2. Theme 2: Awareness of the Health Risks Associated with High Salt Intake
3.3.3. Theme 3: Knowledge Gaps Regarding Recommended Daily Amount of Dietary Salt
3.3.4. Theme 4: Cultural Influences on Dietary Salt Consumption
3.3.5. Theme 5: Minimal Engagement with Food Labels
3.3.6. Theme 6: Limited Awareness of Salt Reduction Initiatives
4. Discussion
4.1. Gender Distribution and Salt Consumption
4.2. Ethnic Backgrounds and Dietary Behaviours
4.3. Cultural Influences on Salt Consumption Patterns
4.4. Improving Awareness and Engagement with Nutritional Information
4.5. Study Strengths
4.6. Study Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | N (%) | |
---|---|---|
Gender | Female | 14 (67) |
Male | 7 (33) | |
Ethnicity | African | 11 (52) |
Afro-Caribbean | 10 (48) | |
Age range (years) | 20–29 | 3 (14) |
30–39 | 4 (19) | |
40–49 | 7 (33) | |
50–59 | 3 (14) | |
60–69 | 3 (14) | |
70+ | 1 (5) |
Theme | Description | Representative Quote |
---|---|---|
The multifaceted roles of salt in culinary practises | PoAD use salt to enhance flavour, wash vegetables, and preserve food. | “Salt is a tasty ingredient that we use in cooking, not just in cooking, also in preservation…so salt is one of the ingredients that we use in cooking…” (Participant 10, female, 70, African). |
Awareness of health risks associated with high salt intake | Participants are aware of the health risks associated with excessive salt consumption, including hypertension and kidney damage, but cultural practises often override these concerns. | “I know too much salt is not good for me and I know later in future it may affect me. I have been eating salt knowing what salt can cause, I think it is better for me to intervene now and reduce the amount of salt I eat” (Participant 2, female, 39, Afro-Caribbean). |
Knowledge gaps regarding recommended daily salt intake | There is a notable deficiency in knowledge about the recommended level of daily salt intake, many of the participants are unsure of the specific guidelines. | “Specifically, I don’t know the average. Just know it should not be too high because of the high levels of risks” (Participant 1, female, 27, Afro-Caribbean). |
Cultural influences on salt consumption levels | Cultural practises and preferences influence high salt consumption among PoAD, which often exceeds the recommended levels. | “I think black people consume more salt than any other ethnicity. There is hardly a place you visit that you won’t find salt in their meals” (Participant 7, male, 49, African). |
Minimal engagement with food labels | Participants show limited engagement with food labels, with a few participants primarily focussing on expiry dates and allergens rather than salt content. | “My wife does most of our shopping and cooking anyway, so I hardly buy food items. When I buy food, I never read any other thing apart from the expiry date. That’s my major concern” (Participant 4, male, 54, Afro-Caribbean). |
Limited awareness of salt reduction initiatives | Participants have minimal awareness of internet-based resources and initiatives aimed at reducing dietary salt intake. | “My mum passed away some years ago… she had hypertension. I want to adhere to the rules, but I do not know any source to get regular updates or information. I want to live healthy and longer” (Participant 16, female, 45, African). |
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Usman, J.E.; Morley, A.; Childs, C.; Rogerson, D.; Klonizakis, M. Exploring Dietary Salt Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among People of African Descent in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare 2024, 12, 1969. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191969
Usman JE, Morley A, Childs C, Rogerson D, Klonizakis M. Exploring Dietary Salt Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among People of African Descent in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare. 2024; 12(19):1969. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191969
Chicago/Turabian StyleUsman, Jesse Enebi, Alexandra Morley, Charmaine Childs, David Rogerson, and Markos Klonizakis. 2024. "Exploring Dietary Salt Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among People of African Descent in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study" Healthcare 12, no. 19: 1969. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191969