In a study that seems to defy conventional dietary wisdom, University of Iowa scientists have found that adding high salt to a high-fat diet actually prevents weight gain in mice. As exciting as this may sound to fast food lovers, the researchers caution that very high levels of dietary salt are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease in humans. Rather than suggest that a high salt diet is suddenly a good thing, the researchers say these findings really point to the profound effect non-caloric dietary nutrients can have on energy balance and weight gain. Dr. Justin Grobe, assistant professor of pharmacology, and Dr. Michael Lutter, assistant professor of psychiatry and member of the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, were co-senior authors of the study, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports on June 11. In addition to Dr. Grobe and Dr. Lutter, the UI research team included Benjamin Weidemann; Susan Voong; Fabiola Morales-Santiago; Michael Kahn; Jonathan Ni; Nicole Littlejohn; Kristin Claflin; Colin Burnett; and Nicole Pearson.

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