Skip to main content

Table 2 Self-reported salt use behaviour, fruit and vegetable consumption and the type of fat and oil used in cooking, in seven low-and middle-income countries (n = 24,332), by sex a

From: Evaluation of sex differences in dietary behaviours and their relationship with cardiovascular risk factors: a cross-sectional study of nationally representative surveys in seven low- and middle-income countries

 

Overall

Percentage (95% CI)

Male

Percentage (95% CI)

Female

Percentage (95% CI)

p-value*

Salt use behaviour

 Positive salt behaviour (> 50%)

29.27 (26.75, 31.93)

27.19 (24.60, 29.95)

31.34 (28.61, 34.21)

< 0.001

 Specific salt behaviours

  Add salt to meal

< 0.001

   Always

8.44 (7.64, 9.32)

9.39 (8.26, 10.66)

7.50 (6.74, 8.33)

 

   Often

5.28 (4.76, 5.85)

5.27 (4.62, 6.01)

5.28 (4.69, 5.95)

   Sometimes

17.35 (16.45, 18.28)

18.09 (16.86, 19.39)

16.61 (15.60, 17.67)

   Rarely

15.83 (14.58, 17.16)

16.17 (14.64, 17.82)

15.49 (14.16, 16.93)

   Never

53.10 (50.92, 55.27)

51.08 (48.69, 53.47)

55.11 (52.76, 57.44)

  Add salt during cooking

0.26

   Always

63.78 (61.88, 65.65)

63.48 (61.28, 65.62)

64.09 (62.07, 66.06)

 

   Often

7.62 (6.95, 8.35)

7.58 (6.72, 8.53)

7.67 (6.96, 8.45)

   Sometimes

11.34 (10.50, 12.24)

11.74 (10.65, 12.92)

10.95 (10.05, 11.92)

   Rarely

7.59 (6.91, 8.32)

7.21 (6.35, 8.18)

7.95 (7.20, 8.78)

   Never

9.67 (8.75, 10.67)

10.00 (8.84, 11.29)

9.34 (8.39, 10.38)

  Limit Processed foods to reduce salt

   Yes

43.3 (40.94, 45.70)

42.35 (39.78, 44.96)

44.25 (41.67, 46.87)

0.07

  Look at salt content on food labels

   Yes

18.03 (16.71, 19.42)

16.96 (15.51, 18.51)

19.09 (17.56, 20.72)

0.01

  Buy low salt alternatives

   Yes

18.16 (16.69, 19.72)

16.81 (15.17, 18.59)

19.49 (17.89, 21.21)

< 0.001

  Use other spices

   Yes

32.94 (29.72, 36.34)

31.24 (28.16, 34.48)

34.64 (31.00, 38.64)

< 0.001

  Avoid eating foods prepared outside of home

   Yes

34.05 (31.92, 36.24)

31.34 (29.12, 33.65)

36.74 (34.36, 39.19)

< 0.001

Fruit and vegetable consumption

 Met WHO guidelines (400 g per day)

14.01 (12.80, 15.32)

14.81 (13.23, 16.55)

13.21 (12.09, 14.43)

0.02

Fat and oil used in cooking

0.45

 Vegetable

93.39 (92.20, 94.40)

92.95 (91.48, 94.19)

93.81 (92.69, 94.77)

 

 Animal

2.49 (2.02, 2.06)

2.62 (2.00, 3.41)

2.36 (1.92, 2.89)

 Other

2.98 (2.14, 4.14)

3.17 (2.15, 4.65)

2.78 (2.04, 3.78)

 None in particular

0.47 (0.36, 0.61)

0.49 (0.33, 0.71)

0.45 (0.33, 0.62)

 None

0.69 (0.51, 0.91)

0.77 (0.51, 0.12)

0.60 (0.45, 0.80)

  1. *p-value for difference between males and females
  2. a Percent accounts for sampling design with survey weights re-scaled by the survey’s sample size such that all countries contribute equally to estimates. Differences between sexes tested using Pearson’s chi-squared test