'STOP' KIDNEY DISEASE INITIATIVE

STOP stands for Stop The Obesity Pandemic

Addressing lifestyle behaviors like exercise and diet to combat obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypertension should help prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the majority of patients.

There is an alarming global rise in the number of people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) which may be preventable in majority of patients. In the USA, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) estimates that about 26 million Americans have CKD and 1 in 3 Americans is at risk of developing this silent disease. About 600,000 patients with CKD have end stage renal disease (ESRD), treated by either dialysis or transplantation. There is increased pill burden, unnecessary stress, loss of productivity, increased hospitalizations and costs from CKD.

Kidneys are important organs that clear toxins from the body and also maintain the balance of fluids and important electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Advanced kidney disease can result in poor bone health, blood pressure problems and anemia. Eventually when the kidneys fail completely, life is sustained through transplantation of kidney or dialysis.

Diabetes and hypertension, the major risk factors of CKD, account for more than 70% of the kidney disease in adult population. Currently, there are more than 25 million patients with diabetes and 74 million patients with hypertension in the US. The unhealthier lifestyles so common in our societies have increased obesity rates, thereby increasing the burden of diabetes, hypertension, CKD and ESRD.

There is need for a more proactive approach towards modifying lifestyle factors with increased activity and healthier diets. This will help prevent diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Activity should include at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Diets should have a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, and low sugar and salt foods. Patients are also encouraged to talk to their physicians about modification of lifestyle risk factors. Currently, this seems to be the only way to control the silent epidemic of kidney disease in the US and across the globe.

(As it appeared on Dayton Daily News, March 3, 2015)

Please click on the links below for more information:

Obesity and Kidney Disease

Metabolic Syndrome and Kidney Disease

Physical Activity and Kidney Disease

Prevention of Kidney Disease

Diet and Kidney Disease

Diet and Kidney Stones

Alok Agrawal, MD, FASN, FNKF