More research linking weight to possibility of kidney problems in later life.
This research suggests that being overweight early in your life could significantly increase the risks of developing kidney disease by the time people reach old age, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Once again excess weight is showing up as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease.
It doesn't help that globally there is a trend for many people to become overweight, if not obese. In some countries it is more of a problem than others.
The research looked at a group of people born in one particular week in March 1946 in England, who were part of a long term data collection study. This gave information about the body weight of 4,584 individuals at six points in their life.
Among the major findings where the following points:
- Participants who were overweight beginning early in adulthood (ages 26 or 36 years) were twice as likely to have CKD at age 60 to 64 years compared with those who first became overweight at age 60 to 64 years or never became overweight.
- The link between overweight and CKD was only in part explained by taking diabetes and hypertension into account.
- Larger waist-to-hip ratios ("apple-shaped" bodies) at ages 43 and 53 years were also linked with CKD at age 60 to 64 years.
According to one quote, up to 36% of chronic kidney disease cases at age 60 - 64 could be avoided if the patients hadn't become overweight until later in life. The exact timing of when the weight gains start to affect things is currently unclear however.
