South Asian Community "Unconcerned" By Salt's High Stroke Risk

The Stroke Association has worked with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Ipsos to gauge awareness of the relationship between salt and high blood pressure — a major contributing risk factor for stroke. The survey of over 300 Britons of south Asian origin found that only 19 people (six per cent) knew the maximum recommended salt intake was 6g a day, with a tiny proportion, five per cent, naming stroke as a primary health concern.

The Stroke Association has worked with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Ipsos to gauge awareness of the relationship between salt and high blood pressure -- a major contributing risk factor for stroke. The survey of over 300 Britons of south Asian origin found that only 19 people (six per cent) knew the maximum recommended salt intake was 6g a day, with a tiny proportion, five per cent, naming stroke as a primary health concern.

Over three quarters of those surveyed agreed that most food tastes better with salt added to it and see it as a vital seasoning when cooking. However, south Asians are also more likely to prepare their food using fresh ingredients rather than buy pre-packaged goods. They could therefore have greater control over their salt intake and take steps to reduce it to the recommended level.

Encouragingly 52% of those surveyed thought that using substitutes such as 'low-salt' was a good alternative to enhance food when cooking. One in three of those interviewed also recognised that eating healthily and taking exercise can help prevent or lower high blood pressure which could have a positive effect on the incidence of stroke amongst British south Asians.

Topline Results

  • Results are based on a sample of 305 respondents of South Asian origins (c. 100 among Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi residents) aged 16+, with interviews conducted face-to-face and in-home.
  • Fieldwork conducted between 26 January - 5 March 2006.
  • Quotas have been set in line with population profiles within high ethnic penetration OAs, for age, gender and working status, thus results may not always be transferable to South Asians in low penetration areas.
  • Where figures do not add up to 100, this is due to multiple coding or computer rounding.
  • Responses are based on all interviews unless otherwise specified.

Q1 Which are the two or three illnesses or general health issues, if any, that most concern you? What else?

  %
Alcohol / Alcohol related problems 3
Arthritis 14
Asthma 13
Bird Flu / Flu 11
Blindness 1
Cancer 26
Depression 6
Diabetes 33
Drugs 4
Heart Disease 26
High Blood Pressure/Hypertension 18
HIV/AIDS 3
Impotence -
Incontinence -
Kidney disease / Kidney failure 2
Memory Loss *
Mental illness / Mental health 2
Obesity / Diet / Poor diet 2
Osteoporosis -
Sickle cell -
Smoking / Smoking-related problems 3
STIs / Sexually transmitted infections *
Stroke 5
TB/Tuberculosis 2
Urinary Tract Infections -
Vaginal Infections -
Vomiting & Diarrhoea *
Other 11
None of these 18
Don't know 2

Q2 If you were concerned about a particular health issue, which, if any, of the following would you be most likely to do?

  %
Ask a family member or friend for advice 29
Ask a work colleague 3
Ask your GP 86
Ask your local Pharmacist for advice 14
Call NHS Direct 22
Read books or pamphlets at your local library or community centre 3
Read reference books or magazines that you own at home 4
Search the internet for advice/ information 12
Other 1
Don't know/not stated 1

Q3 Which, if any, of the following do you believe to be the leading cause of severe disability among adults in England?

  %
Arthritis 16
Alcoholism / Alcohol-related disease 11
Cancer 14
Diabetes 20
Genetic factors / disorders 4
Heart attack 19
Road Accidents 7
Stroke 14
Other -
None of these 1
Don't know/not stated 7

HBP Awareness And Understanding

Q4 To what extent do you consider yourself to be at risk of developing high blood pressure over the next few years?

  %
At very high risk 8
At fairly high risk 18
At neither high nor low risk 13
At fairly low risk 25
At very low risk 25
I already have high blood pressure 5
Don't know/Not stated 6

Q5 Which of the following statements comes closest to your views about high blood pressure?

  %
It's something that I'm very concerned about 19
It's something that I'm fairly concerned about 29
It's something that I'm not very concerned about 20
It's something that I'm not at all concerned about 11
I have never given it any thought 18
Don't know/not stated 2

Q6 What do you think you can personally do to prevent or lower high blood pressure? What else?

  %
Drink less alcohol 5
Eat healthily 43
Reduce fat intake 17
Reduce salt intake 25
Reduce sugar intake 7
Relax / stop worrying / take a break 11
Smoke less 9
Take exercise 37
Take medication 9
Other 6
Nothing / none of these 5
Don't have high blood pressure / not applicable 10
Don't know 6

Q7 And which of these things, if any, have you personally ever done to try and lower your blood pressure? Please bear in mind here that we all have lots of good intentions, but we would like to know what you have actually done.

  %
Drink less alcohol 6
Eat healthily 34
Reduce fat intake 12
Reduce salt intake 22
Reduce sugar intake 12
Relax / stop worrying / take a break 10
Smoke less 7
Take exercise 35
Take medication 8
Other 2
Nothing / none of these 18
Don't have high blood pressure / not applicable 13
Don't know 1

Q8 In the UK, rates of strokes can vary across different groups in the population. Bearing this in mind, individuals from which of the following groups, if any, do you think are most likely to suffer a stroke in their lifetime? Please select the THREE most likely.

  %
White, British 23
White, Irish 7
Indian 36
Pakistani 34
Bangladeshi 28
Black, Caribbean 6
Black, African 3
Chinese 2
No real differences 22
None of these -
Don't know 19
Refused *

Regular Diet

Q9 Which, if any, of the statements on this card best describes the way most dinners are prepared in your home? By 'most' I mean at least 4-5 days per week.

  %
I / We have mostly pre-packaged ready to eat dinners 1
I / We use mostly pre-packaged or processed foods as ingredients in our dinners 5
I / We use a mix of fresh and pre-packaged or processed foods in our dinners 29
I / We use mainly fresh or unprocessed ingredients in our dinners 58
I / We rarely prepare meals at home 5
None of these 2
Other -
Don't know 1

Q10 Could you please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements I am going to read out, using the scale on this card?

  Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don't know
  % % % % % %
Most food tastes better with salt added to it 29 48 9 10 3 1
Salt is a vital seasoning needed for cooking 28 51 9 7 3 1
Salt substitutes such as "lo-salt" are just as good as using normal salt when cooking 17 35 16 11 4 16
Some traditional Asian dishes can only be prepared using salt 33 42 8 8 6 2

Q11 Which, if any, of the following would you consider using instead of salt when cooking?

  %
Garlic 32
"Lo-salt" 50
Chilli powder 23
Pepper 21
Turmeric 13
Curry powder 17
Other herbs 8
Nothing can be used as a substitute for salt 17
Don't know 5

Q12 Who does most of the food buying for your household?

  %
Myself 36
My Spouse/Partner and myself together 28
Another member of my household and myself 10
My Spouse/Partner 8
Other family member or housemate 18
None of these 1
Don't know -

Q13 How often do you check the package labels for nutritional information (including salt content) of the pre-packaged food products you buy?Base: All who do at least some food purchasing for their household (n=223)

  %
Always 21
Most of the time 17
Sometimes 21
Occasionally 11
Rarely or never 26
Don't know 1

Q14 Do you know what the salt content is of the pre-packaged food products that you regularly buy?  If Yes: Is that all of the products that you regularly buy or just some of them?Base: All who do at least some food purchasing for their household (n=223)

  %
Yes, all of them 5
Yes, some of them 28
No 49
I / We don't buy pre-packaged food products 10
Don't know 7

Q15 Do you know what the recommended maximum daily intake of salt is?

  %
Yes 21
Yes, have heard about it, but can't remember what it is 7
No 64
Don't know 9

Q16 Could you tell me what the recommended maximum daily intake of salt is?Base: All who claim to know the daily recommended maximum intake of salt (n=63)

  %
3g 21
4g 3
5g 11
6g 30
7g 3
8g -
9g -
Other 27
Don't know 5

Q17 I'm going to read out some statements and for each one could you tell me whether you think it is true or false? Please give us your best guess.

  True False Don't know
  % % %
Salt found in food is the same as Sodium content (as listed on food labels) 35 21 44
Too much exercise can lead to high blood pressure 28 58 14
There is a link between high salt intake and stroke 77 5 18

Ways To Change

Q18 Which ONE from the following list would make it easiest for you to have your blood pressure checked?

  %
Regular checks offered in a community centre 6
Regular checks offered in the GP's waiting room 60
Regular checks offered in the gym 4
Regular checks offered to parents within a school /college setting 1
Regular checks offered at the Pharmacist 10
Regular checks offered in a religious place of worship (temple, mosque, church) 2
Regular checks offered in the supermarket 10
Regular checks offered at work 9
None of these 2
Don't know 1

Q19 Have you seen or heard anything about high blood pressure or salt intake in the last 12 months, that is before this interview?

  %
Yes, high blood pressure 27
Yes, salt intake 18
No 52
Don't know 2
None of these 1

Q20 And at which, if any, of these places would you like to receive information about salt intake, high blood pressure and stroke? Is there anywhere else?

  %
At your local School/college/evening class 12
At your place of work 10
At your religious place of worship (temple, mosque, church) 14
From your local Community centre 12
From friends or relatives / word of mouth 9
From your local GP 70
From your local library 8
From the internet 14
From television 33
From the radio 13
In Newspapers / magazines 15
In the post 12
Other *
None of these 2
Don't know 1

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