Research

Hormonal

High body mass index (BMI) and visceral adiposity are strong, independent risk factors for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG).

Maintaining a healthy weight is critical for kidney health. High BMI and visceral fat directly damage kidneys through increased pressure and hormonal imbalances, leading to chronic kidney disease. While weight loss in advanced kidney disease is complex, preventing obesity is the most effective way to protect your kidneys from long-term damage.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
A high body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for new-onset CKD... The increase in intraglomerular pressure can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long-term. The incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy has increased ten-fold in recent years.
Csaba P. Kövesdy et al. · Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research · 2017

Why this rating

Based on numerous population-based studies, large cohort analyses, and meta-analyses cited in the review.

Source

Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic

Csaba P. Kövesdy et al. · Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research · 2017

DOI 10.1590/1414-431x20166075

narrative_reviewCited 17×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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