Research

Hormonal

Obesity increases the risk of nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) through mechanisms including lower urine pH, increased urinary oxalate, uric acid, and sodium excretion, and insulin resistance-induced acidic urine.

If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for kidney stones because your body's metabolism changes how your urine is made. Insulin resistance makes your urine more acidic and increases the amount of stone-forming minerals like oxalate and uric acid you excrete. Managing your weight and insulin sensitivity is key to preventing stones, not just avoiding specific stone-causing foods.

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Obesity is associated with a number of risk factors contributing to the higher incidence and prevalence of nephrolithiasis. Higher body weight is associated with lower urine pH and increased urinary oxalate, uric acid, sodium and phosphate excretion... The insulin resistance characteristic of obesity may also predispose to nephrolithiasis through its impact on tubular Na-H exchanger and ammoniagenesis, and the promotion of an acidic milieu.
Csaba P. Kövesdy et al. · Revista médica de Chile · 2017

Why this rating

Supported by population-based studies linking BMI and weight gain to stone incidence.

Source

Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic

Csaba P. Kövesdy et al. · Revista médica de Chile · 2017

DOI 10.4067/s0034-98872017000300001

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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