Counseling for low salt, sugar and fat intake among adults: a national-based study

Silva, Suele

Counseling for low salt, sugar and fat intake among adults: a national-based study

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)

Suele M Silva, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Luiz A Facchini, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Elaine Tomasi, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Roberto X Piccini, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil, Pelotas, Brazil

Elaine Thumé, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Denise S Silveira, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Fernando V Siqueira, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Mirelle O Saes, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Bruno P Nunes, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Pâmela Volz, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: A healthy diet is recognized as an important strategy for promoting health as an essential part of non-pharmacological therapy of various health problems. The study aims to analyze the reported counseling for the low salt, sugar and fat intake for the Brazilian adults living in urban areas.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of the urban population in 100 municipalities of different population sizes in 23 states of the five geopolitical regions, identified 12,402 adults through a multilevel sample process. The data analyze was performed with Poisson regression, using a 5% significance level.

RESULTS: The most prevalent advice was to low fat intake (38%), followed by the advice to low salt intake (36%) and sugar (29%). The percentage of receiving different advice was similar and more common among women (p<0.001), older people, those with a partner (p<0.001), higher economic class (p<0.001), former smokers (p<0.001), active physically (p<0.001) and in person with physician diagnoses of hypertension, diabetes and overweight (p<0.001). People with white skin color received more advice to eat healthy food, except for the counseling to low salt intake.

CONCLUSIONS: The results showed a low prevalence of advice, which configures a missed opportunity to prevent health problems. Although dietary counseling should not be understood only as the transmission of advice regarding some nutrients, it is important to develop actions in order to qualify services and health professionals, allowing the population to have access to qualified information about the benefits of a healthy lifestyles.