Estimation of sodium availability in food in Slovenia: results from household food purchase data from 2000 to 2009

• Published in: Zdravstveno varstvo 2014-06, Vol.53 (2), p.209-219
• Main Authors: Ribič, Cirila Hlastan, Zakotnik, Jožica Maučec, Seljak, Barbara Koroušić, Poličnik, Rok, Blaznik, Urška, Mis, Nataša Fidler, Eržen, Ivan, Ji, Chen, Cappucio, Francesco P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Food groups; Food products; Meat; Nutrition; Prepared foods; Sodium
• ISSN: 0351-0026; 1854-2476
• DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2014-0021

Introduction: The main aim of the study was to estimate average daily sodium availability of Slovenian consumers based on the food purchase data for the period 2000-2009. The secondary aim was to look for food group contributors to sodium availability. Methods: Food purchase records (Household Budget Survey) as well as country-specific reference values and food composition information were used to estimate mean sodium availability of purchased foods (grams of sodium/person/ day - g Na/p/day) as well as food groups and foods with the largest contribution to the total sodium availability. Discussion and results: The mean sodium availability of purchased foods decreased in the period 2000-2009 and was on average 2,104±132 mg Na/p/day, not accounting for ready-made meals, most semi-prepared foods and adding salt during cooking and at the table. The key food group contributors of sodium in Slovenia were breads and bakery products (35.0%), meat products (27.9%), processed vegetables (6.6%) and cheeses (5.3%). Conclusions: Notwithstanding the smaller purchased quantities of higher-sodium foods (e.g. sausages, prosciutto, dry meat, pickled cucumbers) in comparison to larger purchased quantities of the medium-sodium foods (e.g. white bread, mixed bread, brown bread, milk, rolls), both food groups contribute significant amounts of sodium in the diets of Slovenians. Uvod: Glavni namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti razpoložljivost natrija v kupljenih živilih v Sloveniji. Osnovo so predstavljali podatki nacionalne raziskave o porabi v gospodinjstvih za obdobje 2000-2009. Sekundarni cilj raziskave je bil ugotoviti, katere skupine živil prispevajo k največji razpoložljivosti natrija v prehrani slovenskih porabnikov. Metode: Za oceno povprečnega vnosa natrija (izraženega v gramih natrijevega klorida/oseba/dan - g osebo/Na/dan) v kupljenih živilih in glavnih skupinah živil so bili uporabljeni podatki o povprečni porabi živil v gospodinjstvih in podatki o hranilni sestavi živil. Razprava in rezultati: Povprečna vrednost razpoložljivega natrija v kupljenih živilih se je v obdobju od leta 2000 do leta 2009 znižala in znaša v povprečju 2,104±132 mg natrija/osebo/dan. Pri tem niso bile upoštevane vrednosti vnosa pripravljenih in polpripravljenih obrokov ter dosoljevanje hrane pri mizi. Ugotovljeno je bilo, da so ključne skupine živil, ki prispevajo največje količine natrija v prehrani prebivalcev Slovenije, kruh in pekovski izdelki (35,0%), mesni izdelki (27,9%), konzervirana zele