Lifestyle and Environment Aspects Challenging Kidney Health

Both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (AKI, CKD) are increasingly frequently reported conditions. This translates into a progressive increase in the number of patients reaching advanced stages of kidney failure, which, in addition to being associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, leads to an increase in patients requiring renal replacement therapy, with a significant clinical and economic impact. Evidence has accumulated that unhealthy dietary habits and lifestyles are associated with a higher incidence of both AKI and CKD. This is driving the medical community to take action to raise awareness among the general population and policymakers of the need to implement programs aimed at correcting unhealthy dietary habits and lifestyles in order to maximize preventive effectiveness in maintaining kidney and cardiovascular health for as long as possible.

This is a narrative review focusing on some of the main behavioral patterns related to dietary and/or lifestyle habits, some of which are known to potentially impact kidney health (e.g., food quality; water intake; alcohol consumption; smoking; physical activity; etc.) but also focusing on less recognized emerging issues indirectly related to environmental changes (air pollution; micro-/nanoplastics, food supplements; herbal products; etc.), which may also play a detrimental role in kidney and general health.

(1) CKD is one of the most common chronic noncommunicable diseases. (2) It is urgent to implement organizational plans aimed at preventing and intercepting CKD in its early stages. (3) Among preventive actions, dietary behavior patterns and a healthy lifestyle play a fundamental role. (4) Awareness needs to be raised that the use of over-the-counter medications without clear need could lead to potential renal toxicity. (5) There is still limited recognition and awareness of the possible inadvertent intake of substances present in foods, resulting from uncontrolled food preparation chains or environmental alterations.