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Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the general public in Oman regarding the dangers of high salt intake. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the urban population in Oman. Individuals aged ≥18 were invited to join the study. Results: A total of 1,214 respondents (mean age 34 ± 10 years) answered the questionnaire. The majority were male (65.8%), employed (69.4%) and some were hypertensive (14.3%). Most (90.9%) were aware that excess salt can cause diseases such as hypertension and that it is either somewhat important (51.2%) or very important (42.9%) to reduce salt in the diet. However, only 42.2% said that they actively try to reduce salt in their diet. Conclusion: Although most people in urban areas of Oman appear to be aware of the dangers of high salt intake, only a few are actively trying to reduce it. More educational activities are required to improve awareness.

Keywords: Cross-Sectional Survey; Sodium; Low Salt Diet; Oman.

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How to Cite
Al-Riyami, H., Al-Abdulsalam, Q., Al-Khayari, A., Al-Mushrafi, H., Al-Alawi, Z., Al-Hashmi, K., & Nadar, S. K. (2020). Awareness of the Dangers of High Salt Intake among the Urban Omani Population. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 20(3), e352–356. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.2020.20.03.016

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