A 2023 national survey of about 10,752 Thai adults found that 31.95% reported adding high-sodium condiments to prepared meals, the most common of three salty habits studied. According to research reviewed by Gram, the link between food literacy and sodium intake was mixed, so food skills alone may not guarantee lower salt intake.
According to research reviewed by Gram, many Thai adults eat more sodium than is healthy, and food literacy, the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to make good food choices, may play a role. Researchers surveyed about 10,752 adults aged 15 to 69 in a national study conducted in 2023. They found that 31.95% reported adding high-sodium condiments to prepared meals, the most common of the three salty habits measured. Instant foods and packaged snacks were also common. The link between food literacy and salt intake was mixed. Some healthy-eating attitudes were tied to lower odds of high-sodium eating, while label reading and information seeking were tied to higher odds. Because the survey captured one moment in time, it cannot prove cause and effect. The authors suggest that future programs should specifically target the habit of adding salty condiments to meals.
Key Statistics
A 2023 national cross-sectional survey of about 10,752 Thai adults aged 15 to 69 found that 31.95% reported adding high-sodium condiments to prepared meals, the most common of three salty habits measured.
In the same 2023 Thai survey, only 24.43% of adults scored high on seeking food information when uncertain, the lowest share among the food literacy areas measured.
The 2023 Thai survey of 10,752 adults found that healthy-eating intentions were linked to lower odds of high-sodium food consumption, while label reading and information seeking were linked to higher odds.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: The researchers wanted to know how common high-salt eating habits are among Thai adults, and whether people with stronger food knowledge, attitudes, and skills eat less salt.
- Who participated: About 10,752 Thai adults aged 15 to 69 took part in a national survey in 2023. Slightly more than half were women, about 44% were between 45 and 59 years old, and about 61.5% lived in rural areas.
- Key finding: About 31.95% of adults reported adding high-sodium condiments to their prepared meals, the most common salty habit measured. Food literacy was linked to salt intake in both directions: some healthy-eating attitudes were tied to lower odds of high-sodium eating, while label reading and information seeking were tied to higher odds.
- What it means for you: Building food knowledge and healthy-eating intentions may help cut salt, but the mixed results mean skills alone are not a guaranteed fix. Paying special attention to how much salty seasoning you add to meals may be a practical place to start. Checking with a doctor or dietitian is wise if you have high blood pressure or kidney concerns.
The Research Details
This was a cross-sectional survey, meaning researchers collected information from many people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. The survey was national and included adults aged 15 to 69, with an estimated 10,752 participants. Participants reported how often they ate instant foods, packaged snacks, and added high-sodium condiments to prepared meals. These three habits served as the measure of salt intake.
To measure food literacy, the team used 62 statements covering four areas: knowledge, attitude, skills, and behavior. Statistical analysis grouped these statements into smaller sets of related ideas, such as attitudes toward the benefits of healthy eating or intentions to eat healthy food. The researchers then used a statistical method called logistic regression to see whether higher food literacy scores were linked to higher or lower odds of each salty habit.
The approach is useful for showing which parts of food literacy go along with salt habits across a large, varied population. It can reveal patterns and guide the design of future programs. However, the design cannot show which came first, so it cannot prove that food literacy changes salt habits.
Surveying a large national sample lets researchers see how common salty habits are across different ages, regions, and lifestyles. Because Thailand has high sodium intake in Southeast Asia, understanding these habits can help public health leaders decide where to focus their efforts. Looking at specific parts of food literacy, rather than food literacy as one overall score, helps identify which skills and attitudes may be most worth building.
The study uses a large sample of about 10,752 adults, which gives it statistical strength and a good picture of the wider population. It was published in a peer-reviewed journal, and the team used established statistical methods to group survey questions. The main limitations are that salt intake was estimated from self-reported habits rather than measured in the body, and that a single survey cannot establish cause and effect. Readers should view the results as clues rather than final answers.
What the Results Show
The most common high-sodium habit was adding high-sodium condiments to prepared meals, reported by 31.95% of participants. This was higher than the share of people reporting instant foods or packaged snacks, which suggests that seasoning at the table or during cooking may be a major source of extra salt for many people in this group.
Food literacy was measured in four areas, and the findings did not point in one direction. Certain attitudes, such as the intention to eat healthy food, were linked to lower odds of eating high-sodium foods. This fits with the idea that people who want to eat well may make choices that reduce salt.
Other links ran the opposite way. Attitudes toward the benefits of healthy eating, along with behaviors such as reading food labels and seeking information, were linked to higher odds of high-sodium eating. This may seem surprising, but the authors’ data cannot explain why. One possibility is that people who already eat salty foods pay closer attention to labels and nutrition information. Another is that the survey questions did not capture the full picture of how people use this information.
The researchers also found that seeking food information when uncertain was the area where the fewest people scored high, at 24.43%. This suggests that many adults may not have strong habits of looking for trustworthy food information when they are unsure what to choose.
The study shows that food literacy is not a single trait that either helps or hurts salt intake. Different parts of it had different links to salty habits. This matters because programs that teach food skills may need to be more targeted, focusing on the specific areas that appear protective, such as healthy-eating intentions, while also addressing areas where the link is unclear. The high rate of adding condiments to meals also suggests that cultural eating habits may be a key area for change, since these habits are deeply rooted and may be hard to shift through general health messages alone.
Public health research around the world has generally found that stronger food knowledge and healthier attitudes tend to go along with better diets. This study adds to that picture by showing that the relationship can be more complicated when looking at specific salt-related habits. It also highlights that cultural practices, such as adding seasonings to prepared meals, may need special attention in future research and programs, particularly in Southeast Asia, where salt intake is high.
The study is cross-sectional, so it captures a snapshot in time. It cannot prove that improving food literacy will reduce salt intake, and it cannot show that high-sodium habits cause changes in food knowledge. Salt intake was based on how often people said they ate certain foods, rather than on measurements such as urine tests, so the amounts of sodium are only estimates. Self-reported answers can also be affected by memory and by what people think is the expected answer. Finally, the study focuses on Thailand, so results may not apply directly to other countries with different foods and cultures.
The Bottom Line
Moderate confidence: Adding fewer high-sodium condiments to prepared meals is a practical step that aligns with the study’s most common finding, and it is consistent with general salt-reduction advice. Moderate confidence: Building healthy-eating intentions and knowledge may support lower salt intake, based on the attitude links observed. Low confidence: Reading food labels and seeking information alone should not be assumed to lower salt intake, because this study found those behaviors linked to higher odds of high-sodium eating.
Adults who regularly cook or season meals at home, public health workers designing nutrition programs, and anyone living in a region where salty seasonings are common may find these results useful. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney problems may especially benefit from paying attention to salt. People outside Thailand should be careful about applying these results directly, since food habits and survey populations differ.
Changes in how much salt you add to food can often be noticed within a few weeks, since taste preferences adjust over time. Many people find that their taste for salty food becomes less intense after about two to four weeks of eating less salt. Effects on blood pressure or long-term health usually take months to show up and should be checked with a healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does food literacy help people in Thailand eat less salt?
The evidence is mixed. In a 2023 Thai survey of about 10,752 adults, intentions to eat healthy were linked to lower odds of high-sodium eating, while label reading and information seeking were linked to higher odds. Because the study was a one-time survey, it cannot prove cause and effect.
What is the most common high-salt habit among Thai adults?
Adding high-sodium condiments to prepared meals was the most common salty habit in a 2023 national survey, reported by 31.95% of adults. The survey also measured instant food and packaged snack consumption, but condiment use had the highest prevalence among the three habits.
Does reading food labels reduce sodium intake?
In this 2023 Thai study, reading food labels and seeking information were linked to higher odds of certain high-sodium eating habits, not lower ones. The authors could not explain why. People who already eat salty foods may check labels more often, but the survey design cannot confirm the reason.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Log each meal and mark whether you added a high-sodium condiment, such as salty sauces or seasonings, to prepared food. Track the number of days per week you do this, and set a goal to reduce it by one or two days each week.
- Try tasting your food before adding condiments, and use less seasoning or switch to lower-sodium options when cooking. Use the app to set a reminder before meals that encourages you to check how much salty seasoning you are about to add.
- Review your condiment logs monthly to see trends over time. Pair this with a simple monthly check of your healthy-eating intentions and your confidence in choosing lower-salt foods. If your logs show that you still add condiments often after several months, consider speaking with a dietitian for personalized support.
This article summarizes a cross-sectional survey, which shows associations at one point in time and cannot prove that food literacy causes changes in sodium intake. It is not medical advice. Talk with a doctor or registered dietitian before making major changes to your diet, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney problems.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.