Assessment and management of chronic kidney disease in people living with obesity

Abstract

Obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are common and frequently coexisting medical conditions. Already well known to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, malignancy and premature death, obesity also predisposes to CKD. Elevated weight leads to declining renal function through several mechanisms, including established pathways via metabolic syndrome, hypertension and T2DM, but also through relatively recently understood glomerulosclerosis, directly related to obesity. Compared with non-obese comparators, people living with obesity and established CKD develop faster decline in glomerular filtration, progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and death. Importantly, treatment of obesity can influence these crucial renal outcomes and significantly improve quality of life. Declining renal function also impacts the medical and surgical treatment options available to treat patients with overweight and obesity. In this article, we briefly outline the epidemiology of obesity and renal disease and review the pathological interactions between these diseases before focusing on considerations for assessment and evidence-based treatments for obesity and renal disease.