Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic

 

Csaba P KOVESDY 1, 2, Susan FURTH 3, and Carmine ZOCCALI 4 on behalf of the World Kidney Day Steering Committee*

1 Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States; 2 Nephrology Section, Memphis VA Medical Center, Memphis, TN, United States;

3 Department of Paediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 4 CNR - IFC Clinical Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, Reggio Calabria, Italy

 

ABSTRACT

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence has been projected to grow by 40% in the next decade. This increasing prevalence has implications for the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and also for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). A high body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for new-onset CKD. In individuals affected by obesity, a compensatory hyperfiltration occurs to meet the heightened metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase in intraglomerular pressure can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long-term. The incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy has increased ten-fold in recent years. Obesity has also been shown to be a risk factor for nephrolithiasis, and for a number of malignancies including 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 makes preventive behaviours an affordable option.

 

Keywords: obesity, chronic kidney disease, nephrolithiasis, kidney cancer, prevention

 

Correspondence: World Kidney Day, International Society of Nephrology, in collaboration with International Federation of Kidney Foundation, Rue de Fabriques 1B, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.

E mail: myriam@worldkidneyday.org

 

Brunei Int Med J. 2017; 13 (1): 1-11

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