(25-02-10) Obesity Causes Increased Risk of Kidney Cancer, Kidney Stones, and Stroke

by Steve G. Jones, M.Ed.,


Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater. BMI is a ratio determined by weight and height. With a large percentage of Americans classified as being obese, research is showing the effects extra weight and obesity have on a person's overall health. Recent studies show that obese people have an increased risk of developing common kidney cancer, kidney stones, and an increased risk of having a stroke. A study involving 1,640 participants studied the effects of weight on kidney cancer. The average age of patients was 62 and all participants had kidney tumors. The study showed that patients with a BMI of 30 or higher were 48% more likely to develop clear-cell renal cell cancer (RCC). With every 1 point increase in BMI, obese patients increased their odds of getting kidney cancer by 4%. Out of all the participants, 67% of the obese patients had kidney cancer compared to 57% of non-obese patients. Researchers do not know why there is a link between obesity and kidney cancer. Researchers are looking into a secondary link involving diabetes, hypertension, hormonal changes, and decreased immune function. A recent study shows that obesity increases the risk of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones are solidified deposits of minerals that are very painful when passing through the urethra. Researchers studied more than 95,000 medical records and 3,257 people had kidney stones in a 4 year period. They found that 1 in 40 people at normal weight or overweight experienced kidney stones compared to 1 in 20 obese people. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University are not clear as to the exact link between obesity and kidney stones. However, they theorize that perhaps people who are obese have different levels of substances in their blood that lead to kidney stones. Another recent study shows that people who are obese have an increased risk of suffering from a stroke. The study included 13,549 middle-aged participants. Researchers looked at BMI and waist circumference. They found that three factors highly influenced the development of a stroke: sex, ethnicity, and weight. The study found that obesity leads to diabetes and hypertension, which then increases the likelihood of a stroke. These studies provide a closer look at obesity and its impact on health. Although none of the studies conclude a definite cause-effect relationship, the link is definitely there. Obesity has a negative impact on health and people with a BMI of 30 or higher need to take action to reduce their weight to improve their health.



Sources Edelson, E. (2010). As obesity increases, so does stroke risk. Retrieved January 25, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/2010012... Obesity linked to higher risk of kidney stones. Retrieved January 25, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100118... Obesity tied to common kidney cancer. Retrieved January 25, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/2010012...

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