Table 2. Average Item Scores for Sites That Completed the Sodium Practices Assessment Tool (SPAT), at Baseline and at Follow-up (n = 17), New York State, 2014–2016.
| Sodium Practicesa | n | Average Score at Baseline | Average Score at Follow-up | Standard Deviation | P Valueb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation methods | |||||
| Food is prepared in a kitchen at the site | 17 | 4.82 | 4.88 | 0.56 | .67 |
| Food is prepared using recipes | 17 | 4.82 | 4.88 | 0.43 | .58 |
| Herbs and spices are used as a salt replacement | 16 | 3.69 | 4.44 | 1.29 | .03 |
| Vegetables served are fresh or frozen (without added sauce or sodium) | 17 | 4.24 | 4.71 | 0.94 | .06 |
| Olive oil/vegetable oil/unsalted butter (instead of salted butter) is used in cooking | 14 | 3.71 | 4.57 | 0.77 | .001 |
| Salad dressing is labeled “low” or “reduced” sodium | 14 | 2.00 | 1.86 | 1.41 | .71 |
| Fish is prepared without breading | 17 | 3.53 | 3.71 | 0.95 | .46 |
| Chicken is prepared without breading | 16 | 3.81 | 3.94 | 0.62 | .43 |
| Presentation methods | |||||
| Sodium is reduced by offering smaller portion size | 13 | 1.54 | 1.85 | 1.32 | .42 |
| Fruit or vegetable (without added salt) included in a meal | 16 | 3.94 | 4.81 | 1.59 | .04 |
| Salad dressing is on the side | 17 | 4.35 | 4.47 | 0.49 | .33 |
| Table salt is replaced with herb salt substitute | 13 | 1.23 | 2.46 | 1.96 | .04 |
| Sodium information is posted | 14 | 1.71 | 2.21 | 1.70 | .29 |
| Sodium information is available in a brochure | 15 | 1.80 | 2.67 | 1.60 | .05 |
| Pizza is availablec | 11 | 3.36 | 3.00 | 1.29 | .37 |
| Lower-sodium deli meats are available | 13 | 2.77 | 3.92 | 1.68 | .03 |
| Purchasing strategies | |||||
| Lower-sodium sandwich breads are purchased | 9 | 1.44 | 2.78 | 1.73 | .05 |
| Lower-sodium rolls and bagels are purchased | 8 | 1.13 | 1.75 | 1.60 | .31 |
| Lower-sodium hamburger and hot dog buns are purchased | 8 | 1.13 | 2.00 | 1.64 | .18 |
| Lower-sodium cold cuts and deli meats are purchased | 7 | 2.29 | 4.00 | 1.50 | .02 |
| Lower-sodium cheeses are purchased | 9 | 2.78 | 3.89 | 1.97 | .13 |
| Lower-sodium poultry products are purchased | 7 | 2.71 | 3.71 | 2.65 | .36 |
| Lower-sodium canned tomato products are purchased | 9 | 2.67 | 2.89 | 1.48 | .66 |
| Lower-sodium salad dressings are purchased | 7 | 2.00 | 1.00 | 1.53 | .13 |
| Lower-sodium soup bases or gravies are purchased | 7 | 4.29 | 4.71 | 0.79 | .20 |
a
Depicted items reflect the subset of SPAT strategies that were most applicable across assessed sites.
b
P values determined using paired-sample t tests.
c
For this item, a reduction in the average score was considered an improvement.