A two-part study that examined both mice and humans revealed a strong link between inorganic phosphate, a food additive that is prevalent in the “Western diet,” and a lack of physical activity. Share on Pinterest Inorganic phosphate is present in processed meat and cola. According to the latest statistics from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, less than 5 percent of the country’s adult population engage in 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Over 80 percent of U.S. adults do not follow the recommended guidelines for aerobic exercise and resistance training. Also, only 1 in 3 people manage to exercise for the recommended amount every week. Why are U.S. adults so sedentary? New research may now have found the culprit in a food additive present in meat, soda, and some processed foods: inorganic phosphate. Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas examined the link between inorganic phosphate and sedentarism in both mice and humans. Phosphate contains phosphorus, an element that the body needs to “build and repair bones and teeth, help nerves function, and make muscles contract.” The researchers — led by Dr. Wanpen Vongpatanasin, a professor of medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center — published their results in the journal Circulation.

Phosphate as a ‘health risk’ Manufacturers add phosphate to food in order to keep it fresh for longer and to enhance its flavor. The additive is most likely to be present in “processed meat, ham, sausages, canned fish, baked goods, cola drinks, and other soft drinks.” Normally, kidneys control how much phosphate there is in the blood, and they help filter out the excess phosphate in the urine. However, impaired kidneys may struggle to flush out excessive phosphate, which is why scientists have previously called the additive a “health risk” and called for labeling the amount of added phosphate in foods. Some studies have also shown that inorganic phosphate correlates with a higher risk of mortality among people with kidney disease. Meanwhile, newer studies have found that even in the general population, excess phosphate is linked with a higher risk of cardiovascular death as well as death from all causes.