<p class="first" id="P1">Dietary data from a nationally representative survey indicate
about 80% of US toddlers
aged 1–3 years consume too much dietary sodium, which can influence their preference
for salty foods in later life. Information on consumer attitudes can inform strategies
to reduce sodium in baby and toddler foods. Data were obtained from a 2012 online
survey sent to a sample of 11636 US adults aged ≥18 years enrolled in a national probability-based
consumer panel; 6378 completed the survey and had nonmissing responses to the question
of interest, “It is important for baby and toddler foods to be low in sodium.” Prevalence
of agreement was estimated. Logistic regression was used to describe associations
of respondent characteristics with agreement. The majority of respondents were non-Hispanic
white and had a household income ≥$60,000. About 7 in 10 (68%, 95% CI: 66%–70%) respondents
agreed it is important for baby or toddler foods to be low in sodium. More than 6
of 10 respondents in most subgroups agreed. Among parents with a child currently aged
<2 years (N = 390), 82% agreed (95% CI: 77% –87%); the highest agreement included
parents who thought sodium was very harmful to their own health (92%, 95% CI: 85%–99%)
or who were watching/reducing their own sodium intake (95%, 95% CI: 90%–100%). After
adjusting for sex, age, race-ethnicity, agreement was most strongly associated with
being a parent of a child <2 years, thinking sodium was harmful, and watching/reducing
sodium intake (adjusted odds ratios ≥ 2.5, 95% CI’s ≠ 1.0). The majority of respondents
including most parents agreed it is important for baby and toddler foods to be low
in sodium, suggesting wide consumer support for strategies to lower sodium in these
foods.
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