Eating salty makes your body grow old

Overweight teenagers who eat too much salty foods can age more quickly, according to a new US study.

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Researchers at the Georgia Regents University in Augusta (USA) say that consuming a lot of salt causes overweight children to show signs of aging faster and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Overweight teenagers who eat too much salt can age more quickly.(Artwork: onlymyhealth)

The study was conducted on 766 people between the ages of 14 and 18, divided into groups based on salt consumption. The results showed that obese teenagers who ate more salt with telomeres were significantly shorter than those who ate less salt. Shorter than average telomere is considered a sign of disease and predictors of premature death.

Telomeres are like biological jackets at the ends of chromosomes, protecting DNA from damage. As we age, telomeres become increasingly short, leading to DNA damage and increasing the incidence of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes and heart disease.

"Even in relatively healthy young people, high sodium and obesity can start to accelerate the aging process," said lead researcher Dr Haidong Zhu .

'The majority of dietary salt comes from processed foods, so parents should be aware of food processing for children. For example, choose fresh fruit instead of chips for a snack , 'the expert recommended.