Over the years, there has been a rise in obesity in the United States, and the prevalence is concerning for our healthcare system. People with obesity may face multiple associated health complications, including kidney disease. Discover one study’s findings on how specific genetically predicted measures of obesity are increasing the risk of kidney disease.*

What The Researchers Did

Researchers from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom (U.K.) gathered genetic data as well as measures of obesity, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and kidney function from nearly 300,000 participants of white-British ancestry in the U.K. Biobank. Using Mendelian randomization, the data was analyzed to assess the contributions of obesity to kidney health.

What They Found

Researchers found a higher risk of kidney disease among genetically predicted factors for obesity. Specifically, their results found that:

• Higher values of genetically predicted BMI and WC were causally associated with biochemical signs of kidney function and kidney diseases of different origins, including hypertensive renal disease and diabetic nephropathy. 
• Of the potentially causal effect of obesity signs on kidney health, 13-16% were mediated by blood pressure, and 21-26% were mediated by type 2 diabetes.

What It Means 

Researcher, Xiaoguang Xu, states, “Our evidence substantiates the value of weight loss as a strategy of preventing or reversing a decline in kidney health, as well as decreasing the risk of renal disease.”

Making lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, can aid in weight management to prevent and treat kidney disease. 

*Genetic Risk for Obesity Ups Likelihood of Kidney Disease. (2022, February 9). Physician’s Weekly. https://www.physiciansweekly.com/genetic-risk-for-obesity-ups-likelihood-of-kidney-disease