Credit score: Pixabay/CC0 Public Area
New analysis to be offered on the European Congress on Weight problems (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11–14 Could) exhibits an affiliation between the quantity of sodium consumed within the weight-reduction plan and the chance of each basic and belly weight problems. The examine is by Annika Santalahti, Finnish Institute for Well being and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.
Common weight problems is an individual’s weight problems standing as measured by their physique mass index (BMI), with WHO worldwide tips stating a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or extra means an individual resides with weight problems. Stomach weight problems is the place fats accumulates across the stomach and inner organs there, resulting in a larger-than-normal waist circumference. Stomach weight problems has been proven to put individuals at the next threat of heart problems.
Rising proof suggests a constructive affiliation between sodium consumption and the chance of weight problems.
Sodium consumption, which had decreased in earlier a long time (from a peak within the Nineteen Seventies when Finland had one of many highest coronary heart illness mortality charges on the earth), has remained kind of secure since 2007.
The authors clarify, “Contrary to popular belief, high sodium intake is not mainly caused by unhealthy foods, but by ordinary everyday food. In Finland, most sodium is obtained from processed meat products, bread and dairy products, especially cheese. High sodium intake cannot only be addressed at an individual level—changes at the population level are also needed and can only be achieved through cooperation with the food industry.”
On this new examine, the authors examined the affiliation between sodium consumption, urine sodium focus and each basic and belly weight problems in Finnish adults. They used population-based knowledge taken from the Nationwide FinHealth 2017 Examine (males=2,222, ladies=2,792, aged 18 years or older).
Sodium consumption was estimated utilizing a validated meals frequency questionnaire. Spot urine samples have been collected from a subsample of individuals (males= 558; ladies= 702). Physique mass index and waist circumference have been used to measure basic and belly weight problems.
Sodium consumption and urine sodium concentrations have been stratified into sex-specific quartiles (equal-sized teams of 25% from highest to lowest), and statistical modeling analyses have been carried out, adjusting for widespread sociodemographic and life-style confounders. In validity analyses, spot urine samples have been in contrast towards 24-hour urine collections.
The outcomes confirmed that the median sodium consumption (transformed to salt consumption) was greater than really helpful (WHO’s suggestion of 5 grams or much less per day) throughout all quartiles besides the bottom quartile of ladies who remained beneath the really helpful restrict.
For women and men mixed, the sodium consumption degree within the highest quartile was 2.3 occasions greater than within the lowest quartile. The variations in sodium consumption between women and men (at all times greater in males) have been discovered to be roughly the identical throughout quartiles.
Based mostly on the questionnaire’s self-reported values, imply sodium consumption within the highest quartile was roughly 4900 mg/day in males and three,750 mg/day in ladies. These values convert to greater than 12 grams (males) or 9 grams (ladies) of every day salt (sodium chloride)—greater than double what’s really helpful by WHO for males, and nearly double for ladies.
The authors discovered that individuals with excessive dietary sodium consumption or excessive urine sodium focus have been extra more likely to have basic or belly weight problems.
Within the absolutely adjusted mannequin, ladies within the highest quartile (25%) of sodium consumption have been 4.3 occasions extra more likely to have basic weight problems and three.4 occasions extra more likely to have belly weight problems in contrast with ladies within the lowest quartile. Girls within the second highest quartile have been additionally 2.4 occasions extra more likely to have basic weight problems than ladies within the lowest quartile.
Comparable associations have been noticed when urine sodium focus was used as an unbiased variable, suggesting the estimated sodium consumption from meals questionnaires and the quantity in examined urine have been according to one another. For instance, utilizing urinary sodium, ladies within the highest quartile have been 4.8 occasions extra more likely to be residing with weight problems than these within the lowest quartile (much like the 4.3 occasions enhance discovered for sodium consumption assessed by questionnaire).
For males, whereas the sample of elevated weight problems threat was much like ladies for sodium consumption assessed by questionnaire, the outcomes didn’t attain statistical significance throughout all quartiles.
Nonetheless, for urine sodium focus, the outcomes have been statistically important for males: these within the highest quartile (25%) of urine sodium focus have been 6.0 occasions extra more likely to have basic weight problems and 4.7 occasions extra more likely to have belly weight problems in comparison with males within the lowest quartile within the absolutely adjusted mannequin.
The validity analyses urged a reasonably good settlement between sodium present in spot urine and 24-hour urine collections, suggesting that topics have been effectively categorized into high and low sodium consumption classes based mostly on spot urine sodium focus.
On the stronger affiliation proven for males, the authors say, “Basically, males eat extra meals, and likewise extra meals which can be the principle sources of sodium within the weight-reduction plan, resembling meat merchandise, bread and bakery merchandise, and cheese.
“Our analyses were adjusted for total energy intake and therefore the stronger associations in men might be due to the higher salt intake relative to total energy intake. However, regardless of the magnitude of the relationship, the associations were in a similar direction in both men and women.”
The authors conclude, “These results strengthen the evidence of an association between sodium intake and obesity, with similar findings observed for both dietary sodium and urine sodium concentration. It is important to gain more understanding about the biological mechanism of the relationship.”
On the affiliation between sodium consumption and weight problems, the authors say, “The affiliation between salt consumption and weight problems continues to be very unclear, and there aren’t any waterproof explanations for the variations between sexes nor for the phenomenon typically.
“Analysis knowledge are nonetheless very restricted, however doable organic explanations have included adjustments within the secretion of satiety hormones because of long-term publicity to excessive salt consumption. Excessive salt consumption might also act as a proxy for dietary high quality as an entire—overconsumption of meals giving excessive ranges of sodium and growing the chance of weight problems, presumably reflecting overconsumption of ultra-processed, high-sodium meals.
“However, further research is needed on the overall nutrition and nutrition quality of those with high-sodium diets, but also research on the biological mechanisms of high sodium intake, for example on satiety, the gut microbiome and body composition.”
They add that every one points of the weight-reduction plan have to be fastidiously examined to deal with extra sodium consumption, saying, “In our view, the meals trade performs a big position in lowering the inhabitants’s sodium consumption, as the vast majority of meals consumption comes from sources apart from unprocessed main manufacturing.
“It is important to pay attention to how salty commonly consumed daily foods are, as these account for a large proportion of the daily sodium intake. Of course, general changes in the food environment also play a role, such as whether food is prepared at home or consumed in restaurants or as takeaway food.”
Supplied by
European Affiliation for the Examine of Weight problems
Quotation:
Examine reveals affiliation between dietary sodium consumption and basic and belly weight problems (2025, March 27)
retrieved 27 March 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-03-reveals-association-dietary-sodium-consumption.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Other than any honest dealing for the aim of personal examine or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for data functions solely.
