Salt Taste Preference, Sodium Intake and Gastric Cancer in China

Abstract

Aim: The risk factors mostly strongly associated with gastric cancer are gastric bacteria Helicobacter pyloriand diet. By using a case-control study among residents in China, we examined the association between sodiumintake, presence of H,pylori, and gastric cancer risk. <br/><b>Methods</b>: A population-based case-control study including235 cases and 410 controls were used. Potential risk factors of gastric cancer were interview for cases and controlsby questionnaire, salt taste preference was measured for all subjects, and IgG antibodies to H,pylori was usedfor H.pylori infection. Risk measures were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. <br/><b>Results</b>: H.pyloriinfection and smoking increased the risk of gastric cancer, with the OR(95%CI) of 1.91(1.32-2.79) and 1.47(1.05-2.05), respectively. Dietary sodium intake independently increased the risk of gastric cancer. Participants withthe highest sodium intake(>5g/day) had a high gastric cancer risk [OR(95%CI)= 3.78(1.74-5.44)]. Participantswith the salt taste preference at 7.3g/L and ≥14.6g/L showed higher risk of gastric cancer [OR(95%) for 7.3g/Land ≥14.6g/L were 5.36(2.72-10.97) and 4.75(2.43-8.85), respectively]. A significantly interaction was foundbetween salt taste preference and H.pylori infection (p=0.037). Salt taste preference was significantly correlatedwith sodium intake (Correlation coefficient=0.46, p<0.001). <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: Salt taste preference test could be asimple way to evaluate an inherited characteristic of sodium intake, and our study confirms the gastric canceris associated with sodium intake and H.pylori.