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The kidneys are vital in removing waste products from the blood and producing urine.
When things go south it can have an impact on the entire body. According to the National Kidney Foundation 10% of all people have some form of kidney disease.
Several diseases are linked to the kidneys and this World Kidney Day the focus is specifically on obesity.
Obesity increases your risk of developing major risk factors of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), such as diabetes and hypertension. In fact, a study indicates that declines in kidney function can be detected long before people develop these conditions.
Complications of CKD include:
- High blood pressure
- Anaemia (low blood count)
- Bone disease
- Poor nutritional health
- Nerve damage
Good news
Fortunately, obesity and CKD are largely preventable.
According to Dr Csaba Kovesdy, Dr Susan Furth and Dr Carmine Zoccali in a paper called Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic: “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 behaviours an affordable option.”
But obesity is not the only disease linked to the kidneys. Here are some of most important ones you should take note of:
Obesity tied to kidney disease
A study suggests that obesity increases the risk of developing kidney disease.
Kidney problems result from damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys caused by high blood sugar levels in some diabetes patients.
Chronic renal failure is a progressive condition that occurs when kidney function decreases gradually and progressively over time.
PKD is a genetic disorder in which multiple cysts are found mainly in the kidneys.
This is when an abrupt deterioration of kidney (renal) function develops within hours or days – basically when when your kidneys lose their filtering ability. It's a very serious condition with a high mortality and must be prevented in patients at risk.
Read more:
Second kidney transplant – 40 years later
A high sodium diet worsens kidney and heart disease
