As Americans Fatten Up, Kidneys Suffer
Obesity and diabetes seem to be fueling a rise in kidney disease

(HealthDay News) -- If you need yet another reason to put down the fork and go for a walk, consider this: More people are suffering from chronic kidney disease, and experts have linked the increase to obesity-fueled diabetes and high blood pressure.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease among American adults has risen from 10 percent to 13 percent in a decade, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association . The U.S. population is aging, which accounts for a bit of the increase, but experts say that fat is at fault for the majority of the jump.

Comparing health data on nearly 30,000 people over nearly two decades, the study found "substantially higher rates of obesity and diabetes," lead researcher Dr. Josef Coresh, a professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University , told HealthDay . "These are both risk factors for kidney disease."

Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of heart disease as well as kidney failure and other complications. There are about 500,000 people with kidney failure who are treated by dialysis or transplantation in the United States , and that number is expected to increase to 750,000 by 2015, Coresh said.

"If diabetes continues to increase, and obesity continues to increase, then it stands to reason that the prevalence of kidney disease will continue to increase," he said.

Dr. Ajay Singh, chief of the renal division and director of dialysis at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston , said he thinks the study clearly shows the need for more research toward preventing and treating chronic kidney disease.

"This data shows that the prevalence of kidney disease is increasing, and that it appears to reflect, at least in part, the increasing incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity," said Singh, who's also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School .

The findings also underscore the importance of early recognition of kidney disease and the need for preventive strategies, Singh said. "Since current treatments only slow down kidney disease progression, more research dollars need to be allocated to understanding the reasons why kidney disease progresses and how we may be able to prevent it," he said.

In the meantime, people can take steps to protect themselves from kidney disease. For starters, be proactive, urges the National Kidney Disease Education Program.

If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, ask about your kidneys at your next doctor's appointment.

And if you don't have those problems, take steps to ensure that you don't develop them, mainly by losing weight and getting active.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, losing just 10 pounds can help an overweight or obese person lower their risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Early death

Plus, people who eat healthy and are physically active have more energy throughout the day. Exercise and a healthy diet can also help:

• Lower blood pressure
• Lower blood sugar
• Raise the "good" type of cholesterol
• Lower the "bad" cholesterol

On the Web

To learn more about kidney disease, visit the National Kidney Disease Education Program.

SOURCES: HealthDay News ; Josef Coresh, M.D., Ph.D., professor of epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Ajay Singh, M.D., clinical chief, Renal Division, and director of dialysis, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Nov. 7, 2007, Journal of the American Medical Association ; National Kidney Disease Education Program (www.nkdep.nih.gov); "Quick Guide to Healthy Living," U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (http://healthfinder.gov)
Author: Anne Thompson
Publication Date: Nov. 30, 2008
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