The influence of obesity on the development and survival outcomes of chronic kidney disease

The prevalence of obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2, has more than doubled in many Western countries over the past 2 decades and has become a major public health challenge. This epidemic of obesity in developed countries has been matched closely by alarming increases in the incidence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease. However, the exact role that increased body size plays in the development of nephropathy and its subsequent contribution to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality remain unclear. For example, whether obesity per se is a risk factor for CKD independent of diabetes mellitus and hypertension is uncertain. Moreover, in patients with end-stage kidney disease, strong evidence suggests that obesity may paradoxically enhance patient survival. This review will focus on the evidence for obesity as an independent risk factor for the development and progression of CKD and as a paradoxical survival factor in patients with end-stage kidney failure. Possible mechanisms underlying these observed associations will be discussed.