Awareness of salt consumption in outpatients admitted to the Nephrology clinic

Purpose: Excess salt consumption contributes significantly to the development of kidney disease, hypertension and heart disease and makes their control difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the daily salt consumption levels and awareness of salt consumption in outpatients attending a nephrology clinic. Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January 10, 2024 and March 10, 2024. Data were collected from individuals aged 18 years and older who were admitted to Pamukkale University Nephrology clinic as outpatients and who agreed to participate in the study by face-toface questionnaire method. The Beliefs about Dietary Compliance Scale was used to assess salt consumption habits. Results: The mean age of the 211 patients who participated in the study was 58.94±16.84 years. It was determined that 82.5% (n=174) of the participants knew the recommended daily salt amount as 5 grams and 66.8% of them consumed their meals with little or no salt. Salt was mostly consumed as table salt (63.3% n=133), followed by natural salt found in foods (30.3% n=64) and least from prepared foods (6.6% n=14). The mean score of the benefit subscale was 29.3±2.7 and the mean score of the barrier subscale was 19.4±4.2. Conclusion: A large proportion (82.5%) of the patients admitted to the Nephrology Clinic as outpatients stated that they were aware of and complied with the daily salt consumption of 5 gr recommended by the guidelines. However, this awareness does not result in a sufficient behavioral change in daily life.