Clarification of the effects of dietary sodium chloride on the obesity and its related diseases

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20180
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Takagi Hiroshi 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10792004)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 糖尿病 / 肥満症 / インスリン分泌不全 / 食塩

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Excessive intake of sodium chloride is known as a risk factor of hypertension or cardiovascular diseases. However, it has not been elucidated whether excessive sodium chloride intake accompanied with a high fat diet affects obesity and metabolic diseases. We showed that body weight gain was decreased, but weight of epidydimal white adipose tissue was increased in mice fed a high fat plus high salt diet compared to high fat diet. Mice fed a high fat plus high salt diet had higher blood glucose concentrations in an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Excessive sodium chloride intake accompanied with a high fat diet suppresses body weight gain but exacerbates glucose intolerance with impairment in insulin secretion. Proliferation of beta cells in islet induced by high fat diet was impaired in mice fed a high fat and high salt diet. This study suggests the importance of appropriate intake of sodium chloride to prevent the development and the progression of diabetes.

Free Research Field

糖尿病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食塩過剰摂取の肥満や糖尿病に対する影響は明らかになっていない。今回の私達の検討によって、脂質の過剰摂取に食塩過剰摂取が伴うと、体重増加は抑制されるもののインスリン分泌不全による耐糖能障害の誘因になることが明らかとなった。ヒトにおいても同様の影響があるかについては今後の研究が望まれる。本研究成果に基づき、食塩摂取量の適正化による内臓脂肪蓄積と臓器障害進展の抑制という新たな観点からの減塩療法の有用性が確立することに繋がることが期待される。