141st APHA Annual Meeting

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282705
Knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors related to salt use among Chinese take-out restaurant owners and chefs in Philadelphia

Monday, November 4, 2013

Grace X. Ma, PhD , Department of Public Health, Temple University, Center for Asian Health, Philadelphia, PA
Yin Tan, MD, MPH , Department of Public Health, Temple University, Center for Asian Health, Philadelphia, PA
Yolanda Zhang, MS , Asian Community Health Coalition, Philadelphia, PA
Steven E. Shive, PHD, MPH , Health Department, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, PA
Mei Zhao, BS , Department of Public Health, Temple University, Center for Asian Health, Philadelphia, PA
Jennifer Aquilante, MPH, RD, LDN , Nutrition and Physical Activity, Get Healthy Philly Initiative, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
Sara Solomon, MPH, RD, LDN , Nutrition and Physical Activity, Get Healthy Philly initiative, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
Steven Zhu , Greater Philadelphia Chinese Restaurant Association, Philadelphia, PA
Qiaoling Zeng, PhD , Department of Public Health, Temple University, Center for Asian Health, Philadelphia, PA
Background: Americans consume twice the recommended daily amount of sodium; most of which comes from processed and restaurant foods. Excessive sodium intake greatly increases the risk of developing hypertension, a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Chinese restaurant dishes contain large amounts of sodium. In Philadelphia, there are approximately 400 Chinese take-out restaurants clustered in low-income communities.

Objective: The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) partnered with Temple University's Center for Asian Health to implement the Philadelphia Healthy Chinese Take-out Initiative, which aims to reduce the sodium content in Chinese take-out dishes by 10-15% in an effort to prevent and control hypertension in Philadelphia residents.

Methods: Through a process of mapping and outreach, Chinese take-out restaurants in low-income neighborhoods were recruited into the program. A baseline survey measuring knowledge, perceptions and behaviors related to salt use was administered to 100 Chinese take-out restaurant owners and chefs from August 2012 to January 2013.

Results: Nearly all of the chefs indicate that a high salt diet is harmful and can lead to chronic disease, but less than 21% knew that processed and restaurant foods were the main source of sodium in the diet. While only 22% offered low salt dishes, 92% were willing to learn new methods to prepare low salt dishes.

Conclusion: Preliminary data show that owners and chefs are willing to prepare healthier dishes for their customers and there is a need to provide education, strategies and support to restaurant owners and chefs on preparing low salt dishes.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the importance of reducing sodium content in Chinese take-out dishes. Identify the health problems caused by the high sodium content processed and restaurant foods. Discuss and design future campaigns or interventions for Chinese take-out restaurants in the community to reduce the salt usage in the dishes.

Keywords: Community Outreach, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of multiple federally funded grants focusing on behavioral health intervention trials, health disparities/transcultural health care for underserved Asian Americans and other ethnic minority populations, cancer prevention and intervention, tobacco control and lung cancer, chronic disease intervention, public health education and community health, health promotion, and global or international health. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies of preventing cancer, chronic disease and tobacco control.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.