Battle the bulge to prevent kidney diseases

Bengaluru: City hospitals on Thursday joined the fight against the growing numbers of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and experts have cited obesity as one of the main reasons.

"Obesity is defined as having body-mass index (BMI) more than 30 or waist circumference more than 102 cm (40 inches) and sadly in India there is a transition from low/normal weight to overweight and obesity. Obesity increases the risk of developing CKD, diabetes and hypertension. However, the good news is that obesity, as well as CKD are largely preventable," said Dr Keshavamurthy R, Director, Institute of Nephro-Urology, Bengaluru.

He pointed out that 75,000-80,000 outpatients that approach the Institute of Nephro-Urology every year, nearly 45 per cent patients with CKD have both hypertension and diabetes.       

Another hospital BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bangalore celebrated World Kidney Day by launching a campaign, ‘Healthy lifestyle for healthy kidneys’. The campaign aims to raise awareness about managing obesity that lead to kidney diseases and other associated problems.

World Kidney Day 2017’s theme will take a positive and proactive approach to the fight against kidney diseases. "Obesity can either damage your kidneys directly or cause other problems which lead to kidney disease. When someone is obese, their kidneys have to work harder, cleaning more blood than normal to meet the demands of the increased body weight. The surge in function can damage the kidney and advance the risk of developing CKD in the long-term," said Dr Anil Kumar B.T., Consultant Nephrologist and Transplant Physician, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Bangalore.

An anti-obesity walkathon was organised by Regal Hospital on Thursday, in which doctors took part, to raise awareness about fighting obesity.

Sagar Hospitals honoured 20 dialysis patients, who had completed more than 1000 dialysis, in their centre. The hospital also felicitated Dr Vivekanand (Senior Vascular Surgeon) for his services to the department of Nephrology.

Dr Keshavmurthy of Sagar Hospitals said the healthcare community should devise long-term strategies towards improving the understanding of links between obesity and kidney diseases.