LEP and Obesity: Excessive salt consumption has been associated with multiple hormonal and metabolic disturbances that favor the development of obesity, including leptin resistance (leptin overproduction, fructose overproduction), ghrelin overproduction, dysregulation of adiponectin secretion, increased conversion of glucose to fructose in the polyol pathway, weakened lipolysis (decreased ANP and BNP levels), diminished neuropeptide Y, and increased cortisol secretion [61,62].