When Dr. Flávia Brito and her team at Rio de Janeiro State University analyzed salt habits among more than 8,300 Brazilian adults over 60, they uncovered a pattern that challenges common assumptions about who reaches for the saltshaker at dinner. Men were significantly more likely to add extra salt to their meals than women—12.7% compared with 9.4%—but the story becomes far more interesting when examining why.
This research matters because table salt, though it accounts for only 6% to 20% of our total daily intake, remains a controllable source of sodium in an era when most excess salt comes from processed foods. The World Health Organization recommends no more than five grams of salt per day, yet excessive consumption continues to drive high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and even cognitive decline. Understanding which groups are most likely to add salt at the table offers a concrete starting point for public health interventions.
The Brazilian study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, drew on survey data collected between 2016 and 2017. Participants reported everything they had consumed in the previous 24 hours and disclosed whether they routinely added salt at the table. Researchers then examined how factors like education, income, urban or rural residence, and dietary patterns influenced this behavior.
What emerges is a striking difference between the sexes. Among men, surprisingly few variables predicted salt-adding behavior. Only two factors showed significant associations: men following a special diet for high blood pressure were less than half as likely to add salt, while men living alone were 62% more likely to reach for the shaker than those sharing a household. Dr. Brito notes this pattern suggests male salt use may be "less directly related to specific dietary patterns"—perhaps more habit than conscious choice.
Women displayed a markedly different relationship with salt. Those not following a diet for high blood pressure had 68% higher odds of adding extra salt. Urban residence doubled the likelihood, as did frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods. Yet the most telling associations were protective: women who regularly ate fruits were 81% less likely to add salt, while regular vegetable consumers were 40% less likely to do so. Co-author Dr. Débora Santos interprets this pattern as evidence that "women's salt-adding behavior appeared to be more closely linked to broader dietary patterns and contextual characteristics."
The gender gap suggests that salt-reduction strategies cannot be one-size-fits-all. For men, the data points toward breaking automatic habits, while for women, interventions might focus on overall diet quality and the shift toward whole foods over processed options. The researchers note that taste preferences and habituation both play roles—regular consumption of high-sodium foods can dull our sensitivity to saltiness, creating a vicious cycle where people add more to achieve the same flavor.
The path forward requires action on multiple fronts. Industries must reduce sodium in manufactured foods, which remain the largest contributors to excess intake. But individuals have agency too. Dr. Santos recommends practical strategies: using herbs and natural seasonings, leveraging citrus acidity for flavor, and a deceptively simple step—keeping saltshakers off the table entirely. Tailored public health campaigns, informed by these gender and lifestyle differences, could help transform a habit that has persisted for thousands of years into one that serves our health rather than undermines it.