Behavioral beliefs of reducing salt intake from the perspective of people at risk of hypertension: An exploratory study

The average salt intake in Iran is 12 g per day and it is reported to be about 10 g per day in Yazd City, Iran. This study was conducted to explain the behavioral beliefs toward salt intake reduction in people at risk of hypertension (HTN) based on Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) guideline. This study was a TPB-based exploratory research. The participants were 25 married individuals at risk of developing HTN, with a mean age of 42.9 ± 7.2 years. They were selected by purposive maximum variation sampling continued until data saturation. The data collection method was a semi-structured interview. Study lasted from January 2017 to April 2017. Concerning the advantages and disadvantages of reducing daily salt intake, data analysis yielded 52 primary codes, 19 subcategories, and 5 categories. Advantages in two categories included disease prevention and misconceptions about the benefits, and disadvantages in three categories included physical health disorder, difficulty following a low-salt diet, and false beliefs about the disadvantages of salt intake reduction. According to the findings of this study, prevention of high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) was among the most important advantages of reducing salt intake, and undesirable taste of low-salt foods and family members' disagreement were among the most important disadvantages of reducing salt intake. The misconceptions of our participants included blood lipids reduction and creation of difficulty contracting the muscles. It is recommended to correct misconceptions and strengthen behavioral beliefs to promote salt intake reduction behavior in educational interventions.