Med. praxi. 2024;21(3):131-133 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2024.010

Association between excessive sodium intake and prevalence of obesity

Mgr. Erika Čermáková, Mgr. Martin Forejt, Ph.D.

Ústav veřejného zdraví, Lékařská fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Brno

In recent years, studies aimed at finding the causes of obesity have increasingly pointed to the possible role of excessive sodium intake, even though it has no energy value on its own. This association can be explained from many aspects. Excessively salty foods are usually high in energy. Increased consumption of sweetened beverages after consuming a diet with high in salt is also the most commonly discussed cause. An addiction to salty foods, which leads to their increased intake, may also play an important role. Excessive energy and sodium intake was also found with the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which may be due to their typically lower protein content compared to their high energy density. In addition, high sodium intake has been linked to obesity independently of energy intake. However, the mechanism of the cause of this association is still unclear. Reducing the amount of salt in the diet can therefore make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of dietary intervention in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

Keywords: sodium, salt intake, obesity, food addiction, sweetened beverages, ultra-processed foods.

Received: April 3, 2024; Revised: April 3, 2024; Accepted: April 8, 2024; Published: June 17, 2024  Show citation