Emerging global epidemic of obesity: the renal perspective

Obesity, as a core component of the metabolic syndrome, is among the top ten global health risks classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being strongly associated with the development and progression of chronic renal disease--a widely prevalent but often silent condition. Obesity carries elevated risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality besides having an array of metabolic complications. Maladaptive glomerular hemodynamics with increased intraglomerular pressure in association with vasoactive, fibrogenic substances released from adipocytes, in addition to cytokines and hormones, are the key factors in the causation of renal injury and the progression of nephron loss among obese subjects.