Eating less salt may reduce the risk of stomach cancer: UEG calls for greater salt-awareness across Europe

Stomach cancer is diagnosed in around 80,000 people in the European Union (EU) each year¹ and is associated with a very poor prognosis. The most well-established risk factor for stomach cancer is infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which causes inflammation within the stomach that can progress to stomach cancer. Now scientists believe that eating too much salt also increases the risk of stomach cancer, with a direct relationship found between salt consumption and cancer risk.²

According to Professor John Atherton, Chair of the UEG Scientific Committee and a leading H. pylori expert, the combination of H. pylori infection and a high salt intake appears to be especially dangerous. "Although we don't know exactly why salt increases the risk of stomach cancer, studies suggest that it may encourage the growth of H. pylori and make it more toxic to the cells of the stomach," he says.

Stomach cancer in the EU

The recent UEG commissioned Survey of Digestive Health Across Europe³ reported that more than 80,000 new cases of stomach cancer were identified in the EU in 2012, with twice as many men as women affected.¹ H. pylori infection, which typically occurs during childhood and is difficult to detect, has been estimated to be responsible for around three-quarters of all stomach cancers.³ Excessive salt consumption is thought to contribute to a quarter of all cases.⁴

"Most of us know that salt is associated with high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke," says Prof. Atherton. "However, I suspect very few people are aware that a high-salt diet also increases the risk of stomach cancer, and it is vital that people understand all the health risks associated with this dietary factor."

Salt consumption guidelines

The European Commission and many individual European countries have taken positive action towards reducing salt consumption across the continent. Current guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest that no more than 5 g of salt (less than 1 teaspoon) should be eaten per day - a challenging target given that most salt in our diets is not added by us, but comes from processed foods such as bread, cheese, breakfast cereals and ready meals.

"Following recommended guidelines for salt intake should theoretically reduce the risk of stomach cancer as well as other salt-related health problems," says Prof. Atherton. "Although we need more studies to confirm that eating a low-salt diet reduces the incidence of stomach cancer, there is preliminary evidence from Japan⁵ to suggest this would be the case."

Anyone at increased risk of developing stomach cancer is urged to take special care when shopping and to buy low-salt versions of their favourite foods; to eat foods such as cured meat, bread, cheese and table sauces in moderation, and to add no salt during cooking or at the table.⁶