A new study has found that people who often add salt to their meals are nearly 40 percent more likely to develop depression compared to those who rarely or never do.
The research, which analysed health data from over 439,000 adults in the UK, also found a possible connection between frequent salt use and anxiety. Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the study tracked 9,516 cases of depression and 11,796 of anxiety.
Scientists from Xinjiang Medical University in China said their findings are the first to reveal a significant link between adding salt to food and increased mental health risks.
They suggested that high salt intake could speed up biological ageing, disrupt mood-regulating hormones like serotonin and dopamine, or raise the overall risk of mental health issues.
People who occasionally added salt to food had a smaller but still notable increase in risk — between 5 and 8 percent.
The researchers emphasised the need for further studies to better understand how salt consumption affects mental well-being.
