Losing weight may preserve kidney function in obese people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). More than a third of U.S. adults are either obese or overweight. Weight loss can improve a number of health problems including diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Researchers found weight loss through diet and exercise reduces proteinuria (excess protein in the urine) and may prevent additional decline in kidney function in obese patients. Findings also indicated surgical interventions can normalize the filtration rate of the kidneys in obese patients. The study appears in the Clinical Journal of American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

This article originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.