Obesity

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• Water Retention (Oedema) and Weight Gain – When sodium intake exceeds the amount the body can handle, it builds up in interstitial areas and the kidneys have to work extra hard to excrete it. A build up may cause the body to hold extra fluids in the blood and around the cells, which contributes to weight gain and increased blood pressure. Almost all the body’s tissues have plenty of capacity to hold water without looking abnormal but looking fat. Some people mistakenly drink less water to avoid gaining weight. It is strange but the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated, your body will hang onto its water supplies, and cause water retention and subsequent weight gain. However, the saving grace is that weight gain you experience through consumption of excess salt is fluid gain, it is only temporary. The day to day body weight fluctuations are commonly caused by loss or gain of body fluid. Water retention can also cause bloating, painful swollen joints, puffy eyes and breast tenderness.
• Increased Blood Pressure and Heart Problems – Water retention can cause the blood pressure to increase. Extra retained water, due to excessive salt intake in the blood creates more pressure. To pump the added fluid, the heart has to work harder, putting an added strain on the heart and develop associated complications. It has been observed in a British study that reducing salt intake by 300 mg, systolic pressure (first number) is decreased by 2-4 points and diastolic pressure by 1-2 points. Triple that reduction and you will triple the benefit of B.P. reduction. People who consume high amounts of salt are also at risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The study found that an extra 6 grams of salt daily can increase the risk of heart disease by 21% and stroke by 34%.
• Osteoporosis – High salt intake may be responsible for demineralisation of the bones and may cause osteoporosis – which means weak bones prone to easy fractures. Too much sodium makes the body excrete calcium, threatening bone density and strength.
• Kidney Stones – A diet high on salt and proteins can result in kidney stones. Kidney stones, hardened minerals, are formed when waste materials filtered by the kidneys are unable to dissolve in the urine due to insufficient water. So eat less salt and drink more water to increase quantity of urine. The more urine you produce, the more stone causing minerals you flush out.
• Stomach Cancer – The incidence of stomach cancer is high in populations with high salt intake like Japanese. A report from Japan found that men with highest salt intake had double the risk of stomach cancer.