Table 2. Sodium Reduction Intervention Activities Implemented by Schools and Community Meals Programs Participating in the Sodium Reduction in Communities Program, Northwest Arkansas, 2016–2017.
| Intervention Strategies and Activities | No. (%) at Follow-Upa |
|---|---|
| Schools (n = 30) | |
| Food service guidelines that discuss sodium | |
| Implemented comprehensive food service guidelines that include sodium reduction standards and practices | 29 (96.7) |
| Procurement practices to reduce sodium content | |
| Implemented standardized purchasing lists with lower-sodium items | 29 (96.7) |
| Focused USDA Foods commodity orders on low-sodium or no-sodium items | 29 (96.7) |
| Identified and purchased lower-sodium alternatives for products and ingredients | 29 (96.7) |
| Participated in taste-tests of lower sodium ingredients for program staff | 29 (96.7) |
| Food preparation practices to reduce sodium content of menu items and meals | |
| Developed and served lower sodium recipes for higher sodium entrées | 29 (96.7) |
| Modified the menu cycle to add new lower sodium entrées | 29 (96.7) |
| Environmental strategies that encourage reductions in dietary sodium intake | |
| Placed posters featuring sodium reduction messages in food preparation areas | 29 (96.7) |
| Received monthly newsletters of sodium reduction tips sent by UAMS staff | 29 (96.7) |
| Implemented flavor stations in junior high and high school cafeterias | 7 (23.3) |
| Community Meals Programs (n = 5) | |
| Food service guidelines that discuss sodium | |
| Implemented comprehensive food service guidelines that include sodium reduction standards and practices | 3 (60.0) |
| Procurement practices to reduce sodium content | |
| Implemented standardized purchasing lists with lower sodium items | 2 (40.0) |
| Participated in taste-tests of lower sodium ingredients for program staff | 4 (80.0) |
| Food preparation practices to reduce sodium content of menu items and meals | |
| Implemented policy to eliminate “free salting” | 3 (60.0) |
| Developed and served recipes for lower sodium menu items that incorporate restaurant-donated foods | 3 (60.0) |
| Environmental strategies that encourage reductions in dietary sodium intake | |
| Placed posters featuring sodium reduction messages in food preparation areas | 3 (60.0) |
| Placed multilingual educational signs and dining table tents that address sodium reduction in dining areas | 3 (60.0) |
| Received monthly newsletters of sodium reduction tips sent by UAMS staff | 5 (100.0) |
| Moved salt shakers away from dining tables to locations across the room | 3 (60.0) |
Abbreviations: USDA, US Department of Agriculture; UAMS, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
a
Data were collected at each venue immediately before intervention implementation and again 10 or 11 months later. In the school district, we collected baseline data during 2 consecutive weeks of meals in December 2016 and follow-up data during 2 consecutive weeks of meals in October 2017. In the community meals program, we collected baseline data during 4 consecutive weeks of meals in January 2017 and follow-up data during 2 consecutive weeks of meals in October 2017. At baseline, none of the activities had been implemented at any of the venues.