Challenges and Advances towards Reformulating Processed Foods to Contain Low Salt in Sri Lanka

Siribaddana, Pandula; Jayatilleke, Achala; Gunawardena, Nalika; De Silva, Angela; Wickramasinghe, Champika; Gamlath, Lakshman; Siriwardena, Thilak; Kumarapeli, Vindya; Vidanapathirana, Janaki; Gunawardena, Shanthi; Alagiyawanna, Amaap; Thalagala, Ishanka; Wickramasinghe, Aravinda; Kumari, Prabha; Ranatunga, Prasad; Dhanapala, Sapumal; Pendse, Razia

doi:10.30476/ijns.2022.97001.1205

Challenges and Advances towards Reformulating Processed Foods to Contain Low Salt in Sri Lanka

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Pandula Siribaddana ¹

Achala Jayatilleke ²

Nalika Gunawardena ²

Angela de Silva ³

Champika Wickramasinghe ⁴

Lakshman Gamlath ⁴

Thilak Siriwardena ⁴

Vindya Kumarapeli ⁴

Janaki Vidanapathirana ⁴

Shanthi Gunawardena ⁴

Amaap Alagiyawanna ⁴

Ishanka Thalagala ⁵

Aravinda Wickramasinghe ⁴

Prabha Kumari ⁴

Prasad Ranatunga ⁴

Sapumal Dhanapala ²

Razia Pendse ²

¹ Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo, Sri Lanka

² World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office for Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka

³ World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India

⁴ Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Colombo, Sri Lanka

⁵ Faculty of Medicine, University of Moratuwa, Colombo, Sri Lanka

10.30476/ijns.2022.97001.1205

Abstract

Background: In Sri Lanka, consumption of foods high in salt is high. Efforts are underway to tackle this issue, including the reformulation of fast foods to contain less salt. To succeed, understanding the practices in using salt among restaurant owners, cooks, and chefs are important. The objective of this study was to explore the challenges that may prevent the reformulation of foods to contain less salt in selected food premises in Sri Lanka.
Methods: In a qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews and focus groups as data gathering tools, food premises from ten districts in Sri Lanka were selected; while owners of food premises, chefs and cooks were the study population.
Results: The study recognised several key themes related to the study objective including awareness and practices on salt use, ‘eating outside’ behaviour, dominance of experience when using salt, commercial vs. domestic use of salt and catering to the demand. Findings included both supportive and resistive perceptions and attitudes.
Conclusion: Fears of competition and consumer demands may prevent restaurant owners, chefs and cooks from taking decisive steps towards lowering salt use. Training them on ways of lowering salt, while maintaining the appeal for foods and building trust on equitable implementation of salt lowering policies may win industry support. However, such efforts must parallel approaches to changing consumer behavior towards salt containing foods.

Keywords

Diet

Salt

Reformulation

Food industry

Sri Lanka