DISCRETIONARY SALT AND COMPLIANCE WITH REDUCED SODIUM DIET

The present study was designed to quantify dietary sodium sources and to monitor compliance with a diet reduced in sodium by proscriptions in table salt alone (group 1) or all discretionary salt (group 2). Individuals receiving no dietary intervention served as controls (group 3). Following a 3-week baseline period, diets were prescribed for 23 weeks, during which intake was measured by multiple 7-day diet records, weighed salt shakers and 24h-urninary collections. Sensory tests were administered to track shifts in salt preference. The priciple findings were that 1) discretionary salt contributed little ( < 10% ) to total sodium intake, 2) total discretionary salt use was stable and precisely defended when the table source was eliminated, and 3) reduced exposure to the salty taste elicited a persistent reduced preference for an array of salty foods. These findings suggest that advice to restrict discretionary salt use to achieve a reduction in salt intake may be ineffectual and possibly counter-productive.