A comprehensive study led by researchers at the Hebrew Chronic Kidney Disease University of Jerusalem and Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer reveals a significant association between obesity during adolescence and an elevated risk of developing early chronic kidney disease (CKD) in young adulthood.
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Chronic Kidney Disease
The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics under the title “Adolescent Body Mass Index and Early Chronic Kidney Disease in Young Adulthood,” emphasize the importance of reducing body mass index (BMI) in teens to mitigate the risk of kidney disease in those with significant overweight issues.
The research, conducted in collaboration with major health institutions in Israel and the US, involved data from 593,660 Israeli adolescents aged 16 to 20. The study spanned a mean follow-up period of 13.4 years and identified a total of 1,963 adolescents (0.3%) who developed early chronic kidney .
For males, the highest risk of developing CKD was associated with severe obesity, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 9.4. However, even mild obesity (HR, 6.7), overweight status (HR, 4.0), and high-normal BMI in adolescence (HR, 1.8) exhibited increased risks. Among females, severe obesity had the greatest risk (HR, 4.3), followed by mild obesity (HR, 2.7), overweight status (HR, 2.3), and high-normal BMI (HR, 1.4).
The study underscores the critical need to address and reduce adolescent obesity rates, as the findings indicate a potential link between obesity during adolescence and the development of chronic kidney , with implications for subsequent cardiovascular health.
