The amount of salt a person consumes may be determined by genetics, according to a study published in Physiology and Behavior.
In an effort to encourage Americans to use less salt, researchers are conducting studies to determine if physiological elements contribute to how much salt a person consumes.
A team of investigators enrolled 87 participants into a two-week trial and had them eat different types of salty foods, including broth, chips and pretzels. Individuals were selected from a group of people who didnt watch what they ate or werent smokers.
After consuming each food, the participants ranked it based on the amount of salt they tasted.
Researchers found that individuals who ranked foods the saltiest were categorized as supertasters, who were described as people who may have a gene variation that allowed them to taste flavors at a more intense level. Because these individuals can taste more bitterness in certain foods, the results of the study also showed that these participants used more salt than other people.
These new findings could prove beneficial to physicians when discussing salt intake with their patients. High salt consumption has been proven to lead to several heart-related health complications.
In 2006, an estimated 81.1 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with at least one type of cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association reports.