. 2017 May 18;12(5):e0177535. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177535

Table 3. Dietary counselling (worksite/schools).

Study	Study type	Geographical scope	Aim and main outcomes	Policies analysed	Relevant results	Quality assessment
He et al. (2015)⁴⁰	Cluster RCT	China	Aim: to determine whether an education programme targeted at schoolchildren could lower salt intake in children and their families Outcomes: salt intake as measured by urinary excretion	Health education	At baseline, the mean salt intake in children was 7.3 (SE 0.3) g/day in the intervention group and 6.8 (SE 0.3) g/day in the control group. The mean effect on salt intake for intervention versus control group was −1.9 g/day (95% confidence interval −2.6 to −1.3 g/day; P<0.001). In adult family members the salt intakes were 12.6 (SE 0.4) and 11.3 (SE 0.4) g/day, respectively. During the study there was a reduction in salt intake in the intervention group, whereas in the control group salt intake increased. The mean effect on salt intake for intervention versus control group was −2.9 g/day (−3.7 to −2.2 g/day; P<0.001)	Good
Cotter et al. (2013)⁵⁷	School based RCT	Portugal	Aim: to examine the influence on salt intake and blood pressure of three different educational interventions for 6 months Outcomes: salt intake as measured by urinary sodium excretion	Nutrition education	Baseline: mean salt intake of 7.8 ± 2.5 g per day. Estimated salt intake (g/d): CRT • Baseline: 7.7 ± 2.0 • Final: 7.4 ± 3.0 • Change: 0.35 ± 2.42 THEOR • Baseline: 8.1 ± 3.0 • Final: 7.5 ± 3.0 • Change: 0.60 ± 3.24 PRACT • Baseline: 7.5 ± 2.4 • Final: 6.4 ± 2.2 • Change: 1.08 ± 2.47*	Fair
Katz et al. (2011)⁵⁸	School based RCT	US	Aim: to evaluate the effects of a nutrition education programme in distinguishing between healthful and less healthful choices in diverse food categories. Outcomes: salt intake	Nutrition education	There were no statistically significant improvements in dietary patterns from baseline between the intervention (-0.23g/day) and control groups (-0.04g/day) for salt intake (p = .44)	Poor
Aldana et al. (2005)⁵⁹	RCT	US	Aim: to determine behavioral and clinical impact of a worksite chronic disease prevention program Outcomes: salt intake	Health education	Intervention group (salt g/day) • Baseline: 7.5 • ∆6 weeks: -0.5 • ∆6 months: -1.7 Control group (salt g/day) • Baseline: 6.3 • ∆6 weeks: -0.5 • ∆6 months: -0.5 Significant differences in mean change scores were not observed at 6 weeks (P = 0.88) but they were seen at 6 months (P = 0.0097)	Fair
Chen et al. (2008)⁶⁰	Intervention control trial	China	Aim: to report the effects of these two programmes on blood pressure and changes in morbidity and mortality from CHD and stroke Outcomes: salt intake	Health education	Mean daily salt intake declined from 16.0 to 10.6 g d-1 in the intervention factory, compared with the control factory from 16.9 to 15.4 g d-1, with the net reduction of 3.9 g d-1, which was significantly different (P < 0.05).	Fair
Levin et al. (2009)⁶¹	Worksite based dietary intervention	US	Aim: to examine whether a worksite nutrition programme using a low-fat vegan diet could significantly improve nutritional intake Outcomes: salt intake	Dietary counselling	Intervention group participants significantly increased the reported intake and mean intake (P = 0.04) of salt compared to the control group. Salt (g/day) Intervention group • Baseline: 4.1 ± 0.1 • 22 weeks: 5.0 ± 0.2 • Mean difference: 0.9 ± 0.2 Control group • Baseline: 4.5 ± 0.2 • 22 weeks: 4.9 ± 0.2 • Mean difference: 0.4 ± 0.2 Mean effect size: +0.5 (95% CI 9.2, 394.4; P = 0.04)	Fair