Comparison of Food Category Contributors to Sodium Intake from Stores vs. Restaurants

The FDA released the final voluntary sodium reduction guidance in 2021. The targets presented are applicable to both consumer packaged goods and prepared/restaurant foods. Research indicates that the sodium contribution of restaurant foods is greater than that of foods consumed at home, including processed foods. There is an opportunity to understand these contributions, in totality and at the food category level, using updated data – to better target sodium reduction efforts. Distinguishing the contribution of foods from at home (including processed foods from a grocery store) compared to away-from-home consumption is important, as emphasis on e.g., the restaurant sector may have the greatest impact on intake. In addition, understanding the specific food category contributors from each source may indicate that emphasis on specific foods differs for foods consumed at home compared to away-from-home. This could inform food development, recipe formulation, and dietary guidance. The SoFHI committee is supporting an analysis of NHANES 2017-2018 to test the hypothesis that the types of foods obtained from restaurants are associated with higher levels of sodium intake compared to the types of foods obtained from stores.

Institution: Food & Nutrition Database Research, Inc.
Principal Investigator: Debra R. Keast, PhD
Year Awarded: 2022

This work is supported by IAFNS Sodium Committee.

View this project on the Center for Open Science's Open Science Framework.