Obesity Weighs Heavy on Kidney Health

Annals of Internal Medicine January 3, 2006; 144(1): 21-28

There is a strong connection between obesity and kidney failure, according to a long-range study.

The obese can have as much as a seven times greater risk of kidney failure. Even being moderately overweight almost doubles your risk of developing the condition.

The information for the study was obtained from over 320,000 people whose height and weight were measured during health checkups over a 20-year period. Almost 1,500 developed catastrophic kidney disease.

Over 400,000 Americans need long-term dialysis as a result of kidney failure. The number is projected to increase to more than 650,000 by 2010. Associated Medicare expenditures may be as high as $28 billion. Kidney failure is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.

Other risk factors for kidney failure are high blood pressure and diabetes.