Data supporting the article: Variability in sodium content of takeaway foods: implications for public health and nutrition policy

Sodium content of various takeaway foods collected in Reading in summer 2022. Sodium content was measured using ICP-MS

Background to the dataset:

Background: Excessive sodium intake is a major modifiable risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, yet accurately assessing dietary sodium remains challenging due
to food composition variability and inaccurate menu labeling. While menu labels are
intended to guide consumers, discrepancies between reported and actual sodium content
could undermine their effectiveness.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of menu-declared sodium content in takeaway
foods by comparing reported values with laboratory measurements.
Design: A cross-sectional analysis of 39 takeaway food items from 23 outlets in
Reading, UK. Sodium content was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass
Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and compared to menu-declared values.