Salt: Cause of Type 2 Diabetes?
Salt is a very important element in a healthy diet, but a study questions whether it could be behind this type of diabetes.
Despite enjoying a very good reputation in the world of cooking and health, a study has highlighted the apparent relationship between type 2 diabetes and salt consumption.
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A study has established a relationship between excess salt in the diet and the onset of type 2 diabetes. |
Salt has always enjoyed a good reputation among dietitians and health experts. It's no wonder it's one of the key ingredients for a healthy diet. In moderation, it offers many benefits to the human body, although in excess, salt is responsible for cardiovascular disease and hypertension, to name two ailments linked to its abuse. Now, research has found a new disease that could be related to it: type 2 diabetes.
According to a study from Tulane University in the United States, excessive salt consumption promotes the development of type 2 diabetes. Researchers reached this conclusion after evaluating the frequency of salt use in 400,000 adults and their risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the 12-year project period.
The higher the salt intake, the greater the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
Thus, according to the study, those who reported adding salt to their food "sometimes" had a 13% risk of developing diabetes, a percentage that increased as salt consumption increased. Those who claimed to add salt to their food "usually" had a 20% risk, while those who "always" followed this habit reached 39%.
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| Salt consumption may be linked to type 2 diabetes. |
“We knew that limiting salt could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, but this study shows for the first time that removing the salt shaker from the table may also help prevent type 2 diabetes,” noted Lu Qi, one of the authors of the study conducted by Tulane University. The report, however, did not take into account other socioeconomic or lifestyle factors also linked to this condition.
While research still needs to more precisely determine the relationship between salt consumption and type 2 diabetes, the author believes that the use of this ingredient encourages people to eat more food, which in turn could lead to an increase in obesity.
Whatever the case, what is certain is that the World Health Organization states that the average daily sodium intake (4,310 mg) is more than double the recommended intake for adults, which is certainly not beneficial for the body.