The Affect of Salty Food Intake on the Risk of Helicobacter Pylori Infection among Patients Attending Benghazi Medical Center (A Retrospective Cohort Study)

Abstract

Human infection by Helicobacter pylori is a great public health hazard because they colonize the stomach of approximately half world’s population. The current work tries to detect and assess the association between salty foods and the prevalence of H. Pylori in Benghazi outpatients who attending Benghazi Medical Centre. It is retrospective cohort study on 293 patients in Benghazi Medical Center Gastroenterological Unit. The study includes all adult patients, a confirmed H. Pylori immunity test, a body weight records, and twenty four dietary recalls. Exclusion criteria; this work does not involve study of peptic ulcer and or any other gastric diseases. (69.7%) of the subjects prefer eating salty foods. (72.2%) of the subjects prefer pickled foods; and (83%) of the subjects prefer canning foods. Age, sex, body mass index, nutritional supplement intake were the variables associated with high salt intake among H. pylori patients. All patients in Benghazi Medical Center should be routinely screened for H. Pylori due to their health and financial consequences. Early nutritional intervention strategies including nutrition education should be implemented with an appropriate follow up.