Identifying dietary sources of sodium to inform a salt intervention trial for Barbados: Results from the Barbados Salt Intake Survey

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 31% of deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2005. Hypertension, a primary risk factor for CVD, may be associated with dietary sodium consumption. To inform a salt reduction intervention trial for the prevention of chronic disease in Barbados up to three 24‐hour (24h) dietary recalls were administered on non‐consecutive days to randomly selected Barbadian adults in a cross‐sectional study design. Data were analyzed to estimate sodium intake and identify top food and food group sources of sodium. Fifty‐one participants completed 148 24h recalls for analysis; response rate was 83%. Mean daily sodium intake was 4,313 mg and 2,653 mg for men 27–50 years and 51–73 years, respectively, while women 25–50 years and 51–90 years consumed 2,897 mg and 2,126 mg of sodium per day, respectively. Top dietary sources of sodium were rice and peas (5.4%), fried flying fish (4.4%), and macaroni pie (3.2%). Bread, fish, rice, poultry, and sweets were major food group sources of sodium, contributing a combined 50% to total sodium consumption. Mean sodium intake levels exceeded Adequate Intake recommendations across all gender‐age groups. These data may be used to inform a national public health campaign aimed to reduce salt consumption for prevention of risk factors of CVD and other diet‐related chronic diseases. The Barbados Salt Intake Survey was funded by the Barbados Ministry of Health.