The Compounded Risks for Kidney Disease and Patients with Obesity
Upcoming Webinar- April 23, at 11:30 a.m.
Common Characteristics & Best Practices of Successful Weight Management Programs
A study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has linked obesity as a risk factor for developing Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC), a type of kidney cancer. Obesity can create several comorbid illnesses, most of which increase the risk of kidney disease individually. Diabetes and hypertension, for example, have a direct impact on the development of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2018, it was estimated that there were 65,340 new cases of kidney and renal pelvis cancer in the U.S., and an estimated 14,970 people died of the disease. Kidney and renal pelvis cancer are the eighth most common cancer type in the U.S., representing 3.8 percent of all new cancer cases.
Increased body mass not only promotes kidney disease indirectly through hypertension, atherosclerosis, and type 2 diabetes, but also through direct renal effects. How can patients reduce their risk of developing kidney disease? If they’re overweight or have been diagnosed with obesity, it is imperative to speak with them about the benefits of getting to a healthy weight. (Need help starting that conversation? Click Here.)
Losing weight can reduce the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, increased urine protein, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure — all of which, in turn, lower the risk for developing kidney disease. A 2016 study by Allon N. Friedman, “Is Bariatric Surgery an Effective Treatment for Type II Diabetic Kidney Disease?,” notes that short-term weight reduction by 12 percent in patients with advanced diabetic nephropathy improved risk factors for kidney disease progression.
For patients with obesity and kidney disease, weight loss creates some special dietary needs and restrictions. To learn more about Robard’s scientifically-designed meal replacement products, meal plans and medical protocols for treating obesity, click here.