Can Obesity Cause Kidney Diseases? Let’s Know From A Doctor

The desire to have a slim, picture-perfect body often makes us look towards obesity and overweight as an aesthetic abnormality, an object of insecurity. However, what most of us fail to identify is that beyond making us shy and underconfident, excessive body weight is extremely risky for our health and mortality. 

Beyond social stigma, obesity significantly escalates preventable health risks like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease to name a few. It is concerning because if you look at statistics, obesity levels across the world have tripled since 1975. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 1 billion people in the world are obese, out of which 650 million are adults. 

Although the burden that excessive body fat places on the heart and lungs is still relatively known, its effect on kidneys needs a spotlight. In conversation with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Prakash Chandra Shetty, Urologist, Dr LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, underscored that there needs to be heightened awareness about obesity’s contribution towards impaired kidney function.

Excessive Fat In Blood

Obesity can seriously harm the structural and operational capacity of kidneys. “A chronic imbalance of nutrition in which a person consumes far more calories than they need for long periods can cause obesity,” said Dr Shetty. He explained that this causes excessive dietary fats to circulate in the body through our blood, and get stored across organs and tissues. 

“When these dietary fats or lipids start depositing on the kidneys, it starts distorting kidney structure and their capacity to filter blood,” he added. As per the definition provided by Britannica, lipids are organic compounds like fats, oils, or hormones that do not dissolve in water. 

These lipids can change the dynamics of the fluid being filtered by kidneys, said Dr Shetty, which further adds to kidney dysfunction as it causes inflammation and scarring. “Furthermore, the excess lipids also constrict the kidney’s blood vessels, which limits the nourishing blood flow,” he concluded.

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Excessive Blood Glucose

The levels of glucose, insulin and hormones also get disrupted due to obesity. “High levels of blood glucose take extra effort to be filtered, thus putting extra pressure on the kidney’s tissues. This alters chemical balances and blood acidity,” said Dr Shetty.

“Constant strain accelerates kidney’s ageing, reducing its expected lifespan from 80 years to 50 years,” he added.

The glucose imbalance also makes the blood vessels of the kidney stiff, said Dr Shetty, adding that “Hardened vessels restrict the flow of nutrients and waste drainage, causing oxygen starvation and toxicity in the kidneys.”

Preventing Obesity Related Kidney Damage

Dr Shetty warned that if obesity remains unchecked for years, it can massively damage kidney performance and eventually disrupt the regulation of fluids, hormone production and other essential metabolic roles of these essential organs. 

“In advanced cases, the filtration rate of kidneys can decline below 15%, requiring lifelong dialysis or transplant,” he warned. Hence, he advised, that it is essential to adopt preventive strategies like balanced nutrition, regular exercise and keeping blood sugar in check early on in life. 

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Dr Shetty underscored that obesity must not be dismissed as a lifestyle or aesthetic concern alone. Its deep-rooted health consequences manifest across critical organs, especially kidneys. He recommended that all of us should be aware and conscious of the repercussions of obesity, and act promptly to support kidney function through smart diet and regular exercise.