Pizza, soup, chicken were top sources of sodium across racial, ethnic groups; top four sources were different for Asian Americans
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, May 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) — There are similarities and differences in the sources of sodium and sodium reduction behaviors between racial and ethnic groups, according to a study published online May 28 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Jessica Cheng, Ph.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017 to 2020 prepandemic data to examine racial and ethnic differences in sodium sources and sodium-related behaviors.
The researchers found that across racial and ethnic groups, the top sources of sodium were pizza, soup, and chicken. Four top sources were unique for Asian Americans (e.g., soy-based condiments). The highest rates of reducing sodium were reported by Black adults (67 percent versus 44 percent among White adults), and they received more physician sodium reduction advice (35 percent versus 18 percent among Asian American adults). The likelihood of frequent salt use during food preparation was highest for Asian Americans (66 percent versus 32 percent for Other Race adults), and they more often reported not using salt at the table (39 percent versus 18 percent among Mexican American adults). Asian American sodium intake estimates were reduced by about 325 mg daily assuming rice is unsalted.
“Sodium reduction initiatives at multiple levels, especially changes to the food supply through mandatory or voluntary sodium reduction targets, will be needed to reduce sodium to recommended levels,” the authors write. “Current dietary data collection methods and concepts may need to be challenged in order to promote inclusivity of diverse eating patterns.”
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