Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review

Abstract Reliance on food and beverages prepared out-of-home (OOH) has increased in popularity. Excessive salt intake negatively impacts health, yet strategies to reduce salt in food prepared OOH have not been sufficiently addressed. This review aimed to characterise interventions targeting a reduct...

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Main Authors: Victoria Olubunmi Olarewaju, Yee-How Say, Yook-Chin Chia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00641-3
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author Victoria Olubunmi Olarewaju
Yee-How Say
Yook-Chin Chia
author_facet Victoria Olubunmi Olarewaju
Yee-How Say
Yook-Chin Chia
author_sort Victoria Olubunmi Olarewaju
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Reliance on food and beverages prepared out-of-home (OOH) has increased in popularity. Excessive salt intake negatively impacts health, yet strategies to reduce salt in food prepared OOH have not been sufficiently addressed. This review aimed to characterise interventions targeting a reduction in salt intake and blood pressure in the OOH food sectors. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, and EMBASE databases, resulting in the inclusion of 15 studies (four RCTs, five NRCTs, two cross-sectional studies, a comparative audit, and three studies with a pre-post design). There was the consistent use of multifaceted strategies, including nutrition education and training, menu or recipe reformulation, nutrition labeling, environmental modification, and the innovative use of dosage equipment. Overall, all reviewed interventions led to effective salt reduction post-study, without negatively affecting consumer acceptance of food, and resulted in improvements in participants’ blood pressure. The mean change in salt intake was significant in all studies except two. There were significant gaps in the geographical distribution of interventions, and none addressed the informal OOH sector, which encompasses street food vendors, market stalls, and food delivery services. The reviewed intervention results underscore the feasibility and potential of these salt reduction strategies. Also, they highlight the need for increased research resource mobilization, stricter enforcement of nutrition labeling legislations, continuous education and awareness efforts, intersectoral and multisectoral collaborations, and integration of ongoing monitoring and evaluation structures beyond the lifecycles of salt reduction projects OOH.
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spelling doaj-art-7f09f0f7dd1d4b53a4402dc3ccd68ae72025-08-20T02:32:05ZengSpringerDiscover Public Health3005-07742025-05-0122111910.1186/s12982-025-00641-3Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic reviewVictoria Olubunmi Olarewaju0Yee-How Say1Yook-Chin Chia2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sir Jeffrey Cheah Sunway Medical School, Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Sir Jeffrey Cheah Sunway Medical School, Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway UniversityThe Malaysian Society for World Action on Salt, Sugar, and Health (MyWASSH)Abstract Reliance on food and beverages prepared out-of-home (OOH) has increased in popularity. Excessive salt intake negatively impacts health, yet strategies to reduce salt in food prepared OOH have not been sufficiently addressed. This review aimed to characterise interventions targeting a reduction in salt intake and blood pressure in the OOH food sectors. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, and EMBASE databases, resulting in the inclusion of 15 studies (four RCTs, five NRCTs, two cross-sectional studies, a comparative audit, and three studies with a pre-post design). There was the consistent use of multifaceted strategies, including nutrition education and training, menu or recipe reformulation, nutrition labeling, environmental modification, and the innovative use of dosage equipment. Overall, all reviewed interventions led to effective salt reduction post-study, without negatively affecting consumer acceptance of food, and resulted in improvements in participants’ blood pressure. The mean change in salt intake was significant in all studies except two. There were significant gaps in the geographical distribution of interventions, and none addressed the informal OOH sector, which encompasses street food vendors, market stalls, and food delivery services. The reviewed intervention results underscore the feasibility and potential of these salt reduction strategies. Also, they highlight the need for increased research resource mobilization, stricter enforcement of nutrition labeling legislations, continuous education and awareness efforts, intersectoral and multisectoral collaborations, and integration of ongoing monitoring and evaluation structures beyond the lifecycles of salt reduction projects OOH.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00641-3Salt reduction interventionSodiumNon-communicable diseasesOut-of-home
spellingShingle Victoria Olubunmi Olarewaju
Yee-How Say
Yook-Chin Chia
Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
Discover Public Health
Salt reduction intervention
Sodium
Non-communicable diseases
Out-of-home
title Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
title_full Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
title_fullStr Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
title_short Interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out-of-home food sector: a systematic review
title_sort interventions to reduce dietary salt intake in the out of home food sector a systematic review
topic Salt reduction intervention
Sodium
Non-communicable diseases
Out-of-home
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00641-3
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