This study assessed effective strategies to reduce the sodium intake among consumers using pork cutlet sauce as a model food system. Original pork cutlet sauce and sodium-reduced sauce (29% reduced by a salt substitute) were analyzed to characterize the sensory properties using descriptive analysis. The effects of sodium-reduction of the sauce, consumer type (nutrition teachers vs. general consumers), information related to the sodium content, serving method, and consumer’s health, taste and sodium-related attitudes on the consumer’s preference, perception, and intake of the sauce were analyzed using a consumer test. In descriptive analysis, the original and sodium-reduced sauce showed similar sensory characteristics but did not differ in saltiness. In the consumer test, there were no significant differences in the overall preference levels between the two sauces. On the other hand, there were significant differences in preference and perception between nutrition teachers and general consumer groups, which were due largely to their age as well as the health and sodium-related attitudes and nutritional knowledge differences. Sodium-reduced information decreased the perceived saltiness intensity. In addition, reducing sodium intake by serving pork cutlet sauce in a bottle can be an effective strategy because this serving method increased the acceptance and induced the smaller intake of sauce.

In this study, we investigated protection motivation and behavioral intention to prevent serious illnesses related to excessive sodium intake among the university students in Gyeongnam and Busan. Within the protection motivation theory (PMT) framework, a survey questionnaire was developed to measure participants’ perceptions on the severity of and the vulnerability to the threat of serious diseases due to the high sodium intake as well as the effectiveness of preventive measures (response efficacy), and the ability to perform them (self-efficacy) along with their willingness to follow recommendations (behavioral intention). Data was collected in June 2015. Study participants were divided into either low (n=117) or high (n=177) sodium intake behavior groups based on their current behaviors. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to measure construct validity and Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to check reliability of measurement items. The high sodium intake behavior group perceived higher vulnerability than the low sodium intake behavior group among four PMT factors. Differences of the other three factors were not significant between the two groups. The results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that self-efficacy and response efficacy affected behavioral intention of high sodium intake behavior among students. Hence, development of strategies to increase self-efficacy and response efficacy are strongly recommended.