Obesity, High-salt Diet Ups Cardiac Issues by Angela Mohan on April 30, 2021 at 5:24 PM Obesity and a high-salt diet can increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders. "We see younger and younger women having cardiovascular disease and the question is: What is the cause?" says Dr. Eric Belin de Chantemele, physiologist in the Vascular Biology Center and Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. "We think the fact that females are more salt sensitive and more sensitive to obesity are among the reasons they have lost the natural protection youth and estrogen are thought to provide." "First reduce your consumption of salt, a message the American Heart Association has been pushing for years, which should also result in a reduction in your intake of highly processed, high-calorie food and drink.", he says.