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Lookup NU author(s): Shatha Alhulaefi, Dr Kirsten BrandtORCiD, Professor John Mathers, Dr Mario Siervo, Dr Oliver Shannon
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2024 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved. Objective: Evaluate knowledge and beliefs about dietary nitrate among United Kingdom (UK)-based adults. Design: An online questionnaire was administered to evaluate knowledge and beliefs about dietary nitrate. Overall knowledge of dietary nitrate was quantified using a 21-point Nitrate Knowledge Index. Responses were compared between sociodemographic groups. Setting: UK. Participants: A nationally representative sample of three hundred adults. Results: Only 19% of participants had heard of dietary nitrate prior to completing the questionnaire. Most participants (~70%) were unsure about the effects of dietary nitrate on health parameters (e.g., blood pressure, cognitive function, cancer risk) or exercise performance. Most participants were unsure of the average population intake (78%) and acceptable daily intake (ADI) (83%) of nitrate. Knowledge of dietary sources of nitrate was generally low, with only ~30% of participants correctly identifying foods with higher/lower nitrate contents. Almost none of the participants had deliberately purchased, or avoided purchasing, a food based around its nitrate content. Nitrate Knowledge Index scores were generally low (median[IQR]: 5[8]), but were significantly higher in individuals who were currently employed vs. unemployed (median[IQR]: 5[7]vs.4[7]; p<0.001), in those with previous nutrition education vs. no nutrition education (median[IQR]: 6[7]vs.4[8]; p=0.012), and in individuals who had heard of nitrate prior to completing the questionnaire vs. those who had not (median [IQR]: 9[8]vs.4[7]; p<0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrates low knowledge around dietary nitrate in UK-based adults. Greater education around dietary nitrate may be valuable to help individuals make more informed decisions about their consumption of this compound.
Author(s): Griffiths A, Grainger E, Matu J, Alhulaefi S, Whyte E, Hayes E, Brandt K, Mathers JC, Siervo M, Shannon OM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Public Health Nutrition
Year: 2024
Volume: 27
Issue: 1
Online publication date: 28/10/2024
Acceptance date: 16/10/2024
Date deposited: 25/11/2024
ISSN (print): 1368-9800
ISSN (electronic): 1475-2727
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980024002167
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980024002167
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