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Kidney Disease & Obesity
Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may
impair health. In 2014, worldwide over 600 million adults were obese.
Obesity is a potent risk factor for the development of kidney
disease. It increases the risk of developing major risk factors of
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), like diabetes and hypertension, and it has
a direct impact on the development of CKD and end stage renal disease
(ESRD): in individuals affected by obesity, the kidneys have to work
harder, filtering more blood than normal (hyperfiltration) to meet the
metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase in function
can damage the kidney and raise the risk of developing CKD in the
long-term.
The good news is that obesity, as well as CKD, is largely
preventable. Education and awareness of the risks of obesity and a
healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition and exercise, can
dramatically help in preventing obesity and kidney disease.
This year World Kidney Day promotes education about the harmful
consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease,
advocating healthy lifestyle and health policy measures that make
preventive behaviors an affordable option.
In this context, Dr. Csaba Kovesdy, Dr. Susan Furth and Dr. Carmine Zoccali have written the editorial “Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic”.
This paper provides an excellent summary and rationale for WKD 2017,
whose focus is on the relationship between obesity and kidney disease.
“Obesity is a growing worldwide epidemic. Obesity is one of the
strongest risk factors for new-onset chronic kidney disease, and also
for nephrolithiasis and for kidney cancer. This year the World Kidney
Day promotes education on the harmful consequences of obesity and its
association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyle and health
policy measures that make preventive behaviors an affordable option.”
To access the article, click HERE
The relation between Kidney Disease and Obesity
Kidney disease is more likely to develop in obese people including in those with diabetes and hypertension.
By 2025, obesity will affect 18% of men and over 21% of women
worldwide, and that severe obesity will affect 6% of all men and 9% of
all women around the world. In some nations, obesity is already present
in more than one-third of the adult population and contributes
significantly to overall poor health and high annual medical costs.
In the general population, obesity increases the risk of death and
contributes to many other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes,
hypertension, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver,
gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, various cancers, mental disorders,
and poor quality of life.
A growing body of evidence indicates that obesity is also a potent
risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and
end-stage renal disease (ESRD). People who are overweight or obese have 2
to 7 more chances of developing ESRD compared to those of normal
weight.
Obesity may lead to CKD both indirectly by increasing type 2
diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and also by causing direct
kidney damage by increasing the workload of the kidneys and other
mechanisms.
Reducing obesity may reverse or slow CKD progression.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious condition that develops
suddenly, often lasts a short time and may disappear completely once the
underlying cause has been treated, but it can also have long-lasting
consequences with life-long problems. AKI occurs more frequently in
obese people.
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