Salt consumption and the obesity epidemic

One of the most controversial areas of nutrition research is related to salt intake.

Some researchers think that consuming too much salt creates all sorts of problems, while others think the concern about salt is overstated.

However, in general, most agree that a comprehensive reduction in salt consumption would not produce significant health benefits for a population.

Now a recent study suggests otherwise. Two Finland professors reported recently that a 30-35% reduction in salt intake over the last 30 years in Finland was associated with a 75-80% decrease in stroke and heart disease mortality in the population under 65 years.

The key word here is “associated.” These professors don’t have any data demonstrating that reducing salt intake causes these health benefits. Instead, they just discovered a relationship between salt intake and stroke/heart disease. It could be that the salt intake reduction had nothing to do with the improved health of the population in Finland.

However, they also discovered that the salt intake in the US increased 50% between the mid-1980s and the late-1990s — during which time the prevalence of high blood pressure increased. Doesn’t that prove that increased salt intake is a bad thing?

Well, in fact, no it doesn’t.

But, we hear this kind of misleading stuff all the time. Goofy associations are discovered by researchers and it gets presented by the media as cause and affect.

In fact, what was the headline for the article about this study? “Salt intake strongly associated with obesity.”

Yep, it turns out this same study found a link between salt intake and obesity in Finland. How do the researchers explain this finding? Their hypothesis is that increased salt intake causes increased thirst — and that this results in people drinking more sugary beverages, causing a marked net increase in calorie consumption.

And guess what? Until 1983, salt consumption in the US was pretty stable. But, since then, salt intake has increased and so has the prevalence of obesity.

So, there you have it — the answer to our obesity epidemic. All we need to do is cut back on using the salt shaker and we’ll all get skinny.

Allen Oelschlaeger
Author of Finally, the Straight Scoop About Weight, Nutrition and Fitness