Formative Evaluation on Independent Restaurants in New York City: Opportunities for Sodium Reduction

Background: The rapid growth of restaurant food consumption in the United States has significant implications for public health. Restaurant foods tend to be more sodium-dense than foods prepared at home and high sodium intake is a major contributor to high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Approximately 70% of restaurants are independently owned in the United States, and little nutrition information on foods used by these restaurants is available for public health practitioners working to prevent chronic disease.

Methods: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a survey of 70 independent restaurants to inform the development of a sodium reduction initiative. The survey was administered to restaurant owners, chefs, and managers and was designed to assess attitudes about sodium and evaluate the sodium content of foods commonly purchased by restaurants.

Results: We will present survey results that suggest restaurant personnel have limited awareness of the sodium levels in the foods they procure and prepare. The pantry survey also showed a large range in the sodium content for many of the foods commonly purchased by restaurants.

Discussion: Results indicate there is an opportunity to provide information to restaurant management about sodium reduction. Our intervention will focus on working directly with restaurant suppliers and creating and disseminating materials to assist restaurants in purchasing lower sodium products.