Urinary sodium excretion is associated with increased body mass index: A cross-sectional analytical study among adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Life Sciences, Medicine and Biomedicine · Published 2026-03-07 · DOI 10.28916/lsmb.10.1.2026.222

Free full text

Authors being retrieved — see the publisher record. https://doi.org/10.28916/lsmb.10.1.2026.222

Abstract

The relationship between urinary sodium excretion and obesity is a critical area of research to understand the interactions among dietary sodium, weight gain, and the initiation of public health interventions to address obesity. This study aims to determine the association between urinary sodium excretion and body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 216 adults aged 18-65 years old who were recruited using convenience sampling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The overall mean urinary sodium was 274.00±127.57 mmol/L. Those with high levels of urinary sodium (T3) had significantly higher mean BMI (T3: 26.71±6.31 mmol/L; F=4.01, p=0.019). Age (F=6.24, p<0.001), occupational status (F=4.06, p=0.001), ethnicity (F=8.53, p<0.001), marital status (t=-3.61, p<0.001), and monthly household income (F=4.91, p<0.001). Hypertension (F=4.15, p<0.001) was also significantly associated with increased BMI. Multivariate linear regression model identified urinary sodium excretion concentration (Adjusted β=0.19, 95% CI=0.01, 0.03, p=0.003), ethnicity (Adjusted β=0.18, 95% CI=0.06, 1.10, p=0.030), occupational status (Adjusted β=-0.23, 95% CI=-0.97, -0.06, p=0.026), and having heart disease/stroke (Adjusted β=0.17, 95% CI=1.96, 13.43, p=0.009) were significantly associated with increased BMI. The findings highlight the need for a concerted effort and intervention towards a low-sodium or salt diet to maintain a normal BMI.

Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).

Read the article at the publisher →

Publication details

Year
2026

Related articles