New Delhi: A new study published in The Lancet Public Health has found that placing salt warning labels on restaurant menus can encourage people to make healthier food choices by reducing their consumption of high-salt meals. The research, led by a team from the University of Liverpool in the UK, is among the first of its kind to test the impact of such warning labels in both real-world and online restaurant settings.
The study included two randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In the real-world setting, 454 participants were randomly given either a menu with salt warning labels or a standard menu without warnings. Those who received the labelled menus ordered an average of 12.5% less salt per meal approximately 0.54 grams compared to those with unlabelled menus.
A separate online RCT involving 2,391 UK adults showed similar outcomes. Participants who viewed menus with salt warning labels ordered meals containing 0.26 grams less salt on average. In both trials, the labels were viewed as effective in discouraging the selection of high-salt items and were equally effective across different age groups, sexes, and education levels.
“Our study has found that salt warning labels on menus help people make healthier choices,” said lead author Dr. Rebecca Evans, Postdoctoral Researcher in Psychology at the University of Liverpool. “Given that excess salt intake is a leading cause of diet-related disease, this kind of labeling policy could play a vital role in improving population health.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming less than 5 grams of salt per day roughly under one teaspoon or below 2 grams of sodium. Excessive salt intake has been linked to a range of serious health conditions including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, and osteoporosis. Globally, about 1.89 million deaths each year are attributed to high salt consumption.
“This study demonstrates that even small nudges at the point of purchase can encourage healthier choices,” added Dr. Evans.
Researchers said the findings support salt warning labels as a scalable and low-cost public health strategy that could be applied widely without worsening health inequalities.
(With inputs from IANS)
