Excess salt in junk food lethal: Expert

Pune: Warning against junk food loaded with salt, an expert from University of Houston said on Sunday that high intake of salt affects blood pressure, kidney health and causes cardiovascular diseases in the long-term.

“So you may want to think twice before eating a pizza, burger and fries no matter how tasty they are,” said Dr. Kalyani Kulkarni, a post-doctoral fellow at University of Houston, in a statement issued here.

According to the American heart association, no more than 2300 mg per day of salt is recommended, however, when we eat junk food it can exceed more than 5000 mg, Dr. Kulkarni said.

It is known that hypertension, obesity and diabetes cause proteinuria (excretion of protein through urine) which can lead to kidney injury, the expert warned.

Exercise and moderate consumption of salt could curb the risks of renal and cardiovascular disorders and a nutritional and healthy diet is key to a long life, she suggested.