Obesity is characterized as a lifestyle disease that is caused by the combination of a sedentary lifestyle, little or no exercise and an unhealthy high-calorie diet. While the many problems associated with obesity such as hormonal imbalance, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, etc. are well known, not many know about the connection between obesity and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). There is a significant direct relation between the two and the link between them is metabolic syndrome.
What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
Chronic kidney disease is a condition where your kidneys get damaged and lose their ability to function optimally. This results in buildup of toxins and waste substances in your body, and can also lead to complications such as heart attacks, anemia, nerve damage, etc.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome refers to risks associated with a group of factors related to the biochemical processes in your body. These factors increase your chances of developing health issues such as chronic kidney disease.
Following are some metabolic risk factors:
- High blood pressure, especially if it rises continuously and stays high for a long period of time.
- High triglyceride levels, which indicate the presence of excess fat in the body.
- Low levels of HDL cholesterol, also known as ‘good cholesterol’, which help in removing cholesterol from your system.
- High blood sugar levels, especially high fasting sugar levels.
- Excess fat around your stomach, also known as abdominal obesity.
If you have three or more of these conditions at one time, you are considered to be a case of metabolic syndrome.
Connection between obesity, metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease:
If you take a closer look, you will realize that all the risk factors of metabolic syndrome are also the effects of obesity. While a person suffering from metabolic syndrome might not be obese, chances are high that an obese individual might also suffer from metabolic syndrome.
Research suggests that the various metabolic syndrome factors caused by obesity are a growing cause of chronic kidney disease. A few studies have shown that obesity itself can lead to an alteration in kidney’s structure and functioning and cause damage eventually resulting in chronic kidney failure.
Treatment options:
Obesity associated with metabolic syndrome can not only cause chronic kidney disease, but can also contribute significantly in its progression. It could lead to the point of end-stage kidney disease where the patient has to be either treated with dialysis or put on the list for a kidney transplant.
Don’t let your health reach such a serious state. Losing that extra weight and adopting healthy lifestyle can help you prevent kidney disease and even reduce the intensity of chronic kidney disease if you have already developed it. For any further query consult expert Apollo Nephrologists online on Ask Apollo.
