Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.

<h4>Backgrounds</h4>Sodium and heavy metals are among the key elements to which humans are exposed due to environmental pollution and food consumption. Investigating the association between heavy metals, urinary sodium excretion, and obesity is of significant importance, given potential...

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Main Authors: Juyeon Lee, Sue K Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317190
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author Juyeon Lee
Sue K Park
author_facet Juyeon Lee
Sue K Park
author_sort Juyeon Lee
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Backgrounds</h4>Sodium and heavy metals are among the key elements to which humans are exposed due to environmental pollution and food consumption. Investigating the association between heavy metals, urinary sodium excretion, and obesity is of significant importance, given potential implications for public health. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between heavy metals, urinary sodium excretion, and overweight and obesity in the Korean population.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from 6,609 participants in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2008 to 2012 were analyzed. Associations between heavy metals (cadmium, mercury), urinary arsenic, sodium excretion levels, and overweight/obesity were assessed using polytomous logistic regression models, adjusting for confounders.<h4>Results</h4>Higher mercury (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.31-1.88) and urinary sodium (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.84-2.66) levels are associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. Notably, participants with elevated levels of both mercury and urinary sodium had the highest odds of being overweight and obesity (OR = 3.61, 95% CI = 2.61-5.00). In contrast, other heavy metals, such as serum cadmium and urinary arsenic, were not statistically significantly associated with the risk of overweight and obesity.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This finding highlights the intricate multiplicative effect between mercury and sodium on obesity, necessitating further research to validate and understand the connections. Heavy metals, particularly mercury, exert an influence on obesity, and the possibility of an enhanced impact on obesity, especially when acting in conjunction with salt, is indicated.
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spelling doaj-art-36a7b22fbe364fd4b8676d2597ad01ef2025-02-07T05:30:38ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01201e031719010.1371/journal.pone.0317190Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.Juyeon LeeSue K Park<h4>Backgrounds</h4>Sodium and heavy metals are among the key elements to which humans are exposed due to environmental pollution and food consumption. Investigating the association between heavy metals, urinary sodium excretion, and obesity is of significant importance, given potential implications for public health. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between heavy metals, urinary sodium excretion, and overweight and obesity in the Korean population.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from 6,609 participants in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2008 to 2012 were analyzed. Associations between heavy metals (cadmium, mercury), urinary arsenic, sodium excretion levels, and overweight/obesity were assessed using polytomous logistic regression models, adjusting for confounders.<h4>Results</h4>Higher mercury (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.31-1.88) and urinary sodium (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.84-2.66) levels are associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. Notably, participants with elevated levels of both mercury and urinary sodium had the highest odds of being overweight and obesity (OR = 3.61, 95% CI = 2.61-5.00). In contrast, other heavy metals, such as serum cadmium and urinary arsenic, were not statistically significantly associated with the risk of overweight and obesity.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This finding highlights the intricate multiplicative effect between mercury and sodium on obesity, necessitating further research to validate and understand the connections. Heavy metals, particularly mercury, exert an influence on obesity, and the possibility of an enhanced impact on obesity, especially when acting in conjunction with salt, is indicated.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317190
spellingShingle Juyeon Lee
Sue K Park
Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
PLoS ONE
title Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
title_full Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
title_fullStr Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
title_full_unstemmed Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
title_short Associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults: A cross-sectional study from Korean Health Examination and Nutritional Survey.
title_sort associations of heavy metals and urinary sodium excretion with obesity in adults a cross sectional study from korean health examination and nutritional survey
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317190
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AT suekpark associationsofheavymetalsandurinarysodiumexcretionwithobesityinadultsacrosssectionalstudyfromkoreanhealthexaminationandnutritionalsurvey