Israeli scientists have found that a high body mass index (BMI) in late adolescence could increase the risk of chronic kidney disease at an early age.
- The body mass index (BMI) is a tool for diagnosing overweight as well as obesity.
- A correlation between a high BMI in late adolescence and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease before the age of 30 has been observed by Israeli researchers.
- In this cohort, approximately 1,963 participants developed early-onset chronic kidney disease.
Several risk factors can contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease. This is particularly the case for smoking, physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, age and even family history.
A link between too high a BMI and early risk of chronic kidney disease
A recent study observed an association between a high body mass index (BMI) between 16 and 20 years of age and the occurrence of chronic kidney disease in early adulthood. This work was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
BMI allows you to quickly assess body size using the person’s weight and height. Overweight and obesity are notably diagnosed by calculating the BMI. We consider that:
- between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m², there is excess weight;
- between 30.0 and 34.9 kg/m², this is moderate obesity;
- between 35.0 and 39.9 kg/m², this is severe obesity;
- more than 40 kg/m², we are talking about massive obesity.
Nearly 593,660 individuals were included in this new research. Researchers at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, analyzed screening data from mandatory medical evaluations of Israeli adolescents and data from a national health care system’s chronic kidney disease registry.
In the study, diagnosis of chronic kidney disease was based on a urine albumin/creatinine ratio of 30 mg/g or greater within 6 months following a serum creatinine test, which showed an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 60 ml /min/1.73 m2 or more. The presence of proteins, mainly albumin, in the urine is a sign of kidney damage.
“These results highlight the importance of reducing adolescent obesity rates”
After an average follow-up of 13.4 years, approximately 1,963 adolescents developed early-onset chronic kidney disease, or 0.3% of cohort participants. According to the results, the risks of chronic kidney disease before the age of 45 were significantly greater in the high BMI groups compared to the normal BMI control groups.
High BMI in late adolescence has also been associated with early-onset chronic kidney disease in young adulthood, which can occur before age 30. The researchers noted, however, that this risk was also present in apparently healthy people with a normal BMI. “These findings highlight the importance of reducing adolescent obesity rates and managing risk factors for kidney disease in adolescents with high BMIs”we can read in the study.
However, this study has limitations. Indeed, scientists did not have data regarding stress, diet and activity, which can be factors influencing the development of chronic kidney disease.
