بررسی آگاهی، نگرش مراجعین به مراکز بهداشتی درمانی درباره مصرف نمک

Background and purpose: Excessive consumption of salt increases the risks of renal, cardiovascular and many other diseases. Therefore, focus on consumer knowledge and attitude towards salt intake is of great importance. This study was done to assess the knowledge, attitude and behavior of people referring to health centers in Sari, Iran. Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 416 people who were selected by two-stage randomization method from five health centers in Sari. The data was collected using a questionnaire and SPSS ver.16 was used for data analysis. Results: The mean score for knowledge, attitude, and behavior were 53.67, 37.69, and 47.4% respectively. The average score for salt consumption was 12.8g. There was no significant correlation between the level of knowledge with age and gender (P>0.05). Also, no significant relationship was observed between attitude and gender. But, there was a significant correlation between attitude and marital status (P=0.01). Conclusion: This study revealed high consumption of salt and low levels of relevant knowledge and attitude regarding salt consumption. Therefore, more education on consumption of salt is necessary to improve people’s nutrition style.