Nearly 80,000 people are diagnosed with gastric cancer each year in the European Union and the prognosis is poor. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has now been identified as the cause of gastric cancer, and H. pylori can cause an inflammatory response that promotes gastric cancer. Scientists have found that there is also a direct relationship between salt intake and the risk of gastric cancer, and therefore believe that a high salt diet may increase the risk of gastric cancer. According to John
Professor Atherton (Chairman of the UEG Scientific Committee and a top expert in the field of H. pylori), both H. pylori infection and high salt intake are equally dangerous. “Although we do not currently know very well that high salt intake increases the risk of gastric cancer, studies suggest that salt intake may lead to active growth of H. pylori and enable increased toxicity to stomach lining cells,” he said. The European Digestive Health Survey, commissioned by the UEG, recently published a survey in which more than 80,000 people were newly diagnosed with gastric cancer in the EU in 2012, with twice as many men as women. H. pylori infection, which occurs mostly in childhood and is not easily diagnosed, is thought to be the cause of nearly 3/4 of gastric cancer cases. And excessive salt intake is thought to be associated with the development of the disease in 1 in 4 patients. ”Most of us know that increased salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, along with increased risk of heart disease and stroke.” Professor Atherton said. “However, few would know that a high-salt diet also increases the risk of stomach cancer. It is therefore important that people understand the relationship between dietary factors and health risks.” Guidance on salt intake The European Commission and individual European countries are currently taking active steps aimed at reducing salt intake across the EU. Currently, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended guidelines, total salt intake is less than 5g (less than a teaspoon) per day – a challenging goal since most of the salt consumed daily is not added by us, but comes from a constant source in our diet, such as bread, cheese, cereal breakfasts and fast foods. ”Following the guidelines for recommended salt intake could theoretically reduce the risk of gastric cancer,” says Professor Atherton. “Although we need more research to confirm that a low-salt diet reduces the risk of gastric cancer, there are currently preliminary trials in Japan [5] that confirm this hypothesis.” Any individual with a high risk of gastric cancer needs some extra attention. Try to shop for low-salt foods when shopping; eat cured meats, breads, cheeses and sauces in moderation; and try not to add salt during cooking or eating.