Obesity and Kidney Health
Two recent studies, one from Britain and one from Japan, report a correlation between obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The British report is accompanied by an editorial comment that more than a billion people worldwide suffer from overweight and obesity. There has been a sharp rise in both obesity and CKD in recent years. A direct causality link has not been established, but appears highly likely, according to the British authors.
Chronic kidney disease includes structural and functional changes that reduce the ability of the kidneys to filter the blood. It is defined as a glomerular filtration rate of less than 60 ml/min for the standard kidney filtration area of 1.73 square meters. CKD generally progresses slowly, as the glomerular filtration rate decreases toward zero. Diet and medication can maintain kidney function at an acceptable level for many patients. However, when kidney function drops too low, dialysis or transplant therapy is necessary. This is called end stage renal disease (ESRD). Chronic kidney disease is also a major cause of cardiovascular disease.
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Hi Linda - This is valuable information, especially as we continue to see the numbers of obese children continue to rise, and more children becoming obese at earlier ages. While diabetes is often mentioned as a potential risk for the obese, I've not seen a lot of counsel about the correlation between obesity and chronic kidney disease. Thanks for this helpful information!
Best,
Pat