A new study has linked high salt intake to the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Frequently adding salt to foods is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Diabetes corresponds to a lasting excess of the concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia).
- In France, the overall prevalence of diabetes was estimated at 5% of the population in 2016.
People at risk of type 2 diabetes already know to avoid sugar, but new research suggests they should also give up salt.
Salt and type 2 diabetes: more than 400,000 adults monitored
A new study from Tulane University, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedingsshowed that frequently adding salt to foods was associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
To reach this conclusion, scientists questioned more than 400,000 adults registered with the UK Biobank about their salt consumption. Over a median period of 11.8 years of follow-up, more than 13,000 cases of type 2 diabetes appeared among participants. Compared to those who did not consume “Never” Or “rarely” salt, the participants who added “Sometimes”, “usually” Or “always” of salt had a 13%, 20% and 39% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, respectively.
“Cutting out salt can help prevent type 2 diabetes”
“We already know that limiting salt can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, but this study shows for the first time that cutting out the salt shaker can also help prevent type 2 diabetes,” said essay author Dr. Lu Qi.
More research is needed to determine why high salt intake might be linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. However, Dr. Lu Qi believes salt encourages people to eat larger portions, which increases the chances of developing risk factors such as obesity and inflammation.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes corresponds to a lasting excess of the concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia). In the case of type 2 diabetes, this phenomenon is caused by a disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism. “If it appears gradually and insidiously, the disease has serious, even fatal, consequences in the long term,” explains itInserm.
In France, the prevalence global diabetes was estimated at 5% of the population in 2016, with type 2 diabetes corresponding to 90% of cases. This figure is, however, largely underestimated since it does not take into account untreated or undiagnosed people.
