Built environment and chronic kidney disease: current state and future directions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited understanding of causal links between neighborhood characteristics and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• Gap in identifying modifiable built environment factors for CKD prevention and place-based interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review emerging studies on neighborhood-level risk factors for CKD.
• To identify modifiable neighborhood factors, particularly the built environment, for CKD prevention.

Main Methods:

• Review of published studies on neighborhood factors and CKD.
• Analysis of research on social attributes and built environment characteristics.
• Examination of international findings on walkable neighborhoods and CKD.

Main Results:

• Most studies focus on neighborhood disadvantage; built environment research is nascent.
• Inconsistent results on food deserts as CKD risk factors.
• Walkable neighborhoods show protective potential internationally, but findings are inconclusive and understudied in the U.S.

Conclusions:

• Future research needs advanced designs and population data for stronger evidence on causal associations.
• Electronic health record-based studies show promise for advancing research in this area.
• Identifying modifiable neighborhood factors can inform feasible place-based CKD prevention strategies.