If three groups of gastric mucosa tissue samples are collected and analyzed, it is expected that there will be significant variations among the three groups. The three groups are:

• H. pylori negative with normal diet (Control)
• H. pylori positive with normal diet (HP Normal Diet)
• H. Pylori positive with high salt diet (HP High Salt Diet)

It is predicted that there will be a strong positive correlation between the amount of sodium in the gerbils' diets and the rate of proliferation in the gastric mucosa.

It is predicted that the rates of proliferation will be:

• Not significantly different between the HP Normal Diet group and the Control group since H. pylori on its own has not consistently been shown to increase the risk for gastric cancer.
• Significantly greater in the HP High Salt than in the Control group because it is predicted that salt when combined with H. pylori it will stimulate higher rates of cell proliferation.

Therefore it is predicted that the lowest rate of proliferation will occur in the Control group, the median rate of proliferation will occur in the HP Normal Diet group, and the greatest rate of proliferation will occur in the HP High Salt Diet group, demonstrating that the HP High Salt Group will have an increased risk for developing gastric cancer.