A Brazilian study reveals that sugar added and salt increase the risk of stomach cancer. Even healthy diets are not safe as soon as they are rich in sodium.
- A food rich in processed products and sugary drinks increases the risk of stomach cancer, added sugar contributing to 21 %. Even a healthy diet, but rich in sodium, exposes to a danger.
- Salt promotes carcinogenesis by damaging the gastric mucosa and facilitating Helicobacter pylori infection, a bacteria involved in the development of chronic gastritis and precancerous lesions in the stomach.
- While French consume an average of 8 grams per day of salt, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting sodium consumption to less than 2 g per day. And not to exceed 10 % of the daily calorie contributions in added sugars.
Sugar and salt, omnipresent in our diet, could play a major role in the risk of developing stomach cancer. This is revealed by a new study conducted in Brazil and published in the review BMC Medicine. While added sugar seems to be an aggravating factor in junk food followers, salt would present a risk regardless of diet.
The role of sodium in the development of gastric cancer
The study, conducted in four major cities in Brazil – where gastric cancer is the sixth form of the most common cancer – analyzed the data of nearly 1,800 participants. Based on questionnaires, the researchers have defined two main types of food: the unhealthy diet, rich in processed meats, sugary drinks and fast food, and the healthy diet, composed of fruits and vegetables, with limited sodium consumption.
The results show that people following an unhealthy diet have an increased risk of developing gastric cancer, “Added sugar contributing to this association up to 7 to 21 %”according to a press release. Other studies here and there have already shown that overconsumption of sugar promotes the appearance of cancers in general, especially colorectal or breast.
More surprisingly, a high sodium intake was associated with the risk of gastric cancer, even in participants who followed a globally healthy diet. And for good reason, according to experts: salt promotes carcinogenesis by damaging the gastric mucosa and facilitating the infection Helicobacter pylori, A bacteria involved in the development of chronic gastritis and precancerous lesions in the stomach.
The French consume four times too much salt
In Brazil, around 60 % of the adult population always exceeds sodium recommendations, mainly due to the consumption of bread, rice, meats and cereal products often rich in salt. Since 2022, the country has implemented new regulations on food labeling in order to help consumers make healthier choices. “It is not a question of demonizing food, but of informing and educating the population about the risks, explains the oncologist Maria Paula Curado, who participated in the study. You must offer solutions adapted to each culture rather than prohibiting certain foods. “
France is not a better student: we consume an average of 8 grams per day of salt, the equivalent of two large teaspoons, which is too much, According to health insurance. About 80 % of this quantity comes from the food themselves: it is hidden salt (bread, prepared dishes …). The remaining 20 % correspond to the salt added when cooking or on the plate.
As a reminder, theWorld Health Organization (WHO) recommends limit the consumption of sodium to less than 2 g per day and not to exceed 10 % of the daily calorie intakes in added sugars, or about 50 g per day for a diet at 2,000 kcal.
