Can Adding Table Salt To Your Food Increase Stomach Cancer Risk? Here's What A Study Found

It should be noted that early-stage stomach cancer, gastric cancer, rarely causes symptoms. Most stomach cancers are not diagnosed until they have grown or have spread to other parts of the body.

As Indians, we have a habit of reaching for the salt when eating our food. Regardless of the salt that has already been put in the meal, we want to add just a pinch more to our plate to make the food item more palatable. But, is this a healthy practice? A recent study has found that adding table salt to your food may increase the risk of stomach cancer by 40 per cent. According to a People report, the study was a part of a research published in the journal 'Gastric Cancer'. It analysed data from more than 5,00,000 people in the UK; it did not include those who have been living with cancer or kidney problems.

What Is Stomach Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, stomach cancer is different from other cancers that occur in the abdomen, such as colon or rectum (large intestine) cancer, liver or pancreas cancer, or even cancer of the the small intestine. All of these cancers can have different symptoms, outlooks, and treatment options. Stomach cancers usually develop gradually over the years. Before the cancer develops, 'pre-cancerous changes' take place in the inner lining of the stomach, called the mucosa. These early changes, however, rarely cause symptoms and go undetected.

Early-Stage Stomach Cancer (Gastric Cancer)

The American Cancer Society states that early-stage stomach cancer -- gastric cancer -- rarely causes symptoms, and in countries where screening for such cancer is not routine, most stomach cancers are not diagnosed until they have grown large or have spread outside the stomach to other parts of the body.

Symptoms

In cases where stomach cancer does show signs and symptoms, the following changes are seen:

• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain
• Vague discomfort in the abdomen, above the navel
• Feeling full after eating a small meal
• Heartburn, indigestion and nausea
• Vomiting, with or without blood
• Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Blood in stool
• Feeling tired or weak
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes, when the cancer reaches the liver

What The New Study Found

"We found that participants who always added salt to food at table had a 41 per cent greater risk of developing gastric cancer than those who never/rarely added salt," the researchers stated in the study. In fact, the study pointed out that Asian populations have 'high rates of stomach cancer' because of 'high intakes of salt', 'salted fish', 'pickled foods' and 'processed meats'.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), gastric cancer is the 'fifth most common type of cancer' and the 'third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide'. Citing previous study, it pointed out that 'increased dietary sodium intake' is a 'modifiable risk factor' for health, and that reduced sodium intake can significantly reduce blood pressure 'without any significant effects on blood lipids, catecholamine levels, and renal function' for 'non-acutely ill adults'. Additionally, 'reduced sodium intake' is also associated with a 'reduced risk of stroke and fatal coronary heart disease in adults'.