Yes / This paper makes use of a leading UK supermarket’s loyalty card based data which records information on purchase decisions by consumers who shop at its stores in order to assess the effectiveness and impact of the UK reduced salt campaign. We present an empirical analysis of consumption data to assess the effectiveness of the UK Food Standard Agency’s (FSA) ‘reduced salt campaign’ on the basis of information on health related announcements undertaken by the FSA under its ‘low salt campaign’. We adopt a general approach to determining structural breaks in consumption data, including making use of minimum LM unit root tests whereby structural breaks are endogenously determined from the data. We find evidence supporting the effectiveness of the FSA’s reduced salt campaign.

Yes / This paper uses a leading UK supermarket’s loyalty card database to assess the effectiveness and impact of the 2004 UK reduced salt campaign. We present an econometric analysis of purchase data to assess the effectiveness of the Food Standard Agency’s (FSA) ‘reduced salt campaign’. We adopt a general approach to determining structural breaks in the time series of purchase data, using unit root tests whereby structural breaks are endogenously determined from the data. We find only limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of the FSA’s reduced salt campaign. Our results support existing findings in the literature that have used alternative methodologies to examine the impact of information campaigns on consumer choice of products with high salt content. / UK Food Standards Agency (FSA Project Code: D03008)

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Abstract INTRODUCTION: In order to reduce salt consumption in Spanish speaking countries it is necessary to know the level of salt knowledge in the population. However, there are no tools in Spanish to measure salt knowledge, but the only valid tool of measurement is the 'Salt Knowledge Questionnaire' (SKQ) developed in Australia, in English. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A validation study was conducted in three phases: (Phase1) Translation of the original Australian version into Spanish; (Phase2) Cultural adaptation based on a Spanish-speaking population such as Peru and following criteria used in the development of the original questionnaire which was evaluated by a panel of experts; (Phase3) Construct validity by comparing the scores of three groups (experts, medical students and non-experts) and reliability by performing a test retest. RESULTS: The translation of the SKQ into Spanish maintained a semantic equivalence with the original questionnaire and a panel of experts accepted the cultural adaptation. The SKQ enables discrimination between those who know and those who do not because differences of scores were found between the group of experts, students and non-experts (P<.001). A good overall internal consistency of the instrument was found (KR20=0.69) and a good overall intraclass correlation (0.79) and no test variations in test-retest (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: The SKQ questionnaire in Spanish is valid, reliable and is a suitable first tool to measure knowledge about salt in the Spanish language. It is considered possible to adapt it culturally to the Spanish-speaking country that wishes to use it. / Revisión por pares

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disorder caused by genetic mutations, which affect the chloride ion channels, leading to disrupted salt balance in different organs. A lack of properly functioning chloride ion channels can lead to formation of thick mucus, which hinders organ function, especially in the lungs where repeated inflammation occurs. Early diagnosis is critical to prevent further deterioration of the patient's condition. Current method of analysis of CF diagnostics uses conductivity meters to measure sweat electrolytes. However, current guidelines suggest using a chloridometer to directly measure chloride concentration, is the most reliable marker of cystic fibrosis. The aim of this project was to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the new instrument's safety, reliability, validity, and conformity of the reference range to international chloride meter guidelines. Additional aims were to investigate the effect of storage conditions on sweat chloride concentration levels and examine the effect of increased salt intake on sweat test results. The study recruited healthy participants and took samples of their sweat by inducing sweat gland secretion. The chloride ion concentration was determined using a coulometric method. The results of the study found that the new method was reliable and matched international protocols. It also revealed that an increased salt consumption can impact chloride concentration in sweat, but not to an extent that it can affect medical decisions. Additionally, the study demonstrated that sweat samples can be frozen for up to two weeks without affecting the outcome of the chloride determination.