Sodium Intake and Socio-Demographic Determinants of the Non-Compliance with Daily Sodium Intake Recommendations: Thai NHES IV
Warapone Satheannoppakao PhD*, Rachada Kasemsup MD**, Rungkarn Inthawong MSc***, Suwat Chariyalertsak PhD, MD****, Rassamee Sangthong PhD, MD*****, Surasak Taneepanichskul MD******, Panwadee Putwatana PhD******, Pattapong Kessomboon PhD, MD********, Wichai Aekplakorn PhD, MD*********
Affiliation : * Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, Bangkok, Thailand *** National Health Examination Survey Office, Bangkok, Thailand **** Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand ***** Faculty of Medicine, Epidemiology Unit, Prince of Songkla University, Songkla, Thailand ****** College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ******* Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ******** Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ********* Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To estimate daily intake of sodium and examine the relation of socio-demographic factors with sodium intake
exceeding the recommendations.
Material and Method: Data from the Thai National Health Examination Survey IV (NHES IV) conducted during 2008-2009
were used. The 24-hour-dietary-recall data were available for a subsample of 10% of the total participants. All food and
beverage data were analyzed for amount of total daily sodium intake for each person. In statistical analyses, descriptive
statistics were employed to describe participants’ characteristics, quantities of dietary sodium and percentages of participants
noncompliant with daily sodium intake recommendations. Logistic regression was used to examine socio-demographic
determinants of sodium intake exceeding the recommendations.
Results : 2,969 participants participated in this study. Sodium intake varied by socio-demographics. Percentages of participants
non-compliant with sodium intake recommendations ranged from 75.3 (>1,500 mg) to 52.0 (>2,400 mg) for those aged <16
years and from 86.3 (>1,500 mg) to 67.6 (>2,400 mg) for those aged >16 years. In the younger group, age and region were
key determinants of consuming sodium exceeding all recommendations. Having family income between 5,000 and <10,000
baht/month was significantly associated with sodium intake exceeding recommendation targets. In the older group, being
female and increasing age reduced a risk of non-compliance with some recommendations; oppositely, region and residential
area participants lived significantly, increased non-compliant risk.
Conclusion : Most participants consumed dietary sodium exceeding current recommendations. Effective programs to reduce
sodium intake in Thais are critical.
Keywords : Sodium, Socio-demegraphic determinants, Recommendations, Thai NHES
