Obese (photo credit: abc.net.au)
Over a third of US adults are either overweight or labeled as being obese which places them at a much higher risk for kidney trouble, heart problems and Type 2 diabetes. According to Wikipedia, obesity equates to enough excess body fat that may have an adverse effect on health and life expectancy. The Body mass index (BMI) uses weight and height to determine a body as being overweight or obese. A 25 kg/m2 thru 30 kg/m2 is considered to be overweight.
A BMI greater than 30kg/m2 is labeled as obese. More than a third of US adults are either overweight or obese, putting them at increased risk for kidney trouble, not to mention heart trouble and diabetes. Weight loss has been shown to improve control of diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce the effects of heart disease.
So, what does all this have to do with the kidneys? The kidneys filter waste from the blood and release them in the urine. When the kidneys are damaged, performing these vital functions are significantly reduced. Being overweight weight or obese compounds the problem. Researchers have found that diet, and exercise resulting in weight loss may help to reduce the decline in kidney functions, especially with obese adults that have kidney disease, particularly excess protein in the urine called - proteinura.
According to the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology, 2009, Dr. Sankar Navaneethan, from the Ohio Cleveland Clinic gathered and pooled data from colleagues and 13 studies that researched the impact on kidney function and weight loss through diet, exercise or surgery. The complete findings will be reported in a future issue of the journal.
In obese adults, weight loss may offer real benefits in terms of the kidneys, in addition to the heart-related benefits of shedding excess pounds. 80 million Americans have heart disease, 24 million are Type 2 Diabetic and the National Kidney Association estimates that 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease and many more millions are at risk. Being overweight or obese is preventable and reversible. Lose weight and gain real benefits for the kidneys, heart, overall physical well being - not to mention adding more years to your life.
Visit WebMd and read the guide to understanding kidney disease.
Watch the video on an intresting way to calculate your BMI
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Comments
Great article!
Makes me wonder what my BMI index. I shudder to think.
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