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A recent study looked into how being overweight affected kidney health, especially the risk of serious kidney problems. The study out of Korea, based on almost 15,000 kidney tests, found that people with a higher body mass index (BMI) – a measure of weight – are more likely to have certain kidney issues, increasing their chances of reaching a severe stage of kidney disease.
Key Findings
Out of 14,492 study participants, researchers focused on 969 people who were considered overweight. It found that those with extra weight tend to have higher blood pressure. They also had higher glucose and cholesterol levels, and certain health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure were more common. The most common kidney issue, regardless of weight, was a condition called immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).
However, being overweight was linked to a higher risk of two specific kidney problems – focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and hypertensive nephropathy – but it lowered the risk of IgAN.
Over about 7 years of follow-up, around 1842 people developed a serious kidney condition. The study found that being overweight increased the risk of reaching this severe stage for people with IgAN and another kidney condition called lupus nephritis.
Additionally, out of almost 1000 overweight participants, around 31.5% had a condition called obesity-related glomerulopathy. Those with both this condition and other kidney problems faced a higher risk of reaching the severe stage compared to those with only obesity-related glomerulopathy.
Takeaways
This study highlights how carrying extra weight can impact kidney health. In turn, this increasing the risk of specific kidney issues and reaching a severe stage of kidney disease. The study has some limitations, like looking back at past data and not having information for everyone. However it does stress the importance of certain kidney tests for people carrying extra weight. This research provides useful insights for understanding kidney problems in people with higher weight.
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