Obesity Facts and Their Influence on Renal Function Across the Life Span

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Obesity is a chronic disease with increasing global prevalence, defined by Body Mass Index (BMI) or waist circumference.
• Overweight and obesity are linked to more global deaths than underweight.
• Kidney function is often estimated using plasma creatinine or cystatin C levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the suitability of creatinine as a biomarker for Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) in obese individuals.
• To highlight the impact of obesity on kidney function and GFR estimation.

Main Methods:

• Review of current definitions and prevalence of obesity.
• Analysis of factors influencing plasma creatinine and cystatin C levels.
• Examination of the direct and indirect effects of obesity on kidney health.

Main Results:

• Obesity affects kidney function through systemic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, or directly via adipose tissue accumulation.
• Plasma creatinine levels are influenced by non-GFR factors, including tubular secretion and assay standardization issues.
• Altered body composition in obesity can compromise the accuracy of creatinine-based GFR estimations.

Conclusions:

• Creatinine may not be an ideal biomarker for GFR measurement in obese individuals due to altered body composition.
• Obesity poses significant risks to kidney health, necessitating careful consideration of GFR estimation methods.
• Further research into accurate GFR assessment in obese populations is warranted.