Chronic kidney disease affects more women than men, but most people with this condition don’t know they have it. This World Kidney Day, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, joins organizations around the world in urging women to take action to prevent kidney disease — for themselves and their loved ones.
Healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent and manage kidney disease and its main causes — diabetes and high blood pressure. One in seven Americans has chronic kidney disease, or CKD, a condition that can lead to kidney failure and means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. CKD affects 16 percent of women and 13 percent of men. Approximately 700,000 people in the United States have kidney failure treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Given the impact of kidney disease on women, the NIDDK encourages all women to learn about risk factors and talk with health care professionals. Taking action now can help protect your kidneys. Here are ways to reduce your risk:
- Choose healthier foods, such as fresh fruits, fresh or frozen vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
- Be physically active for 30 minutes or more on most days.
- Reduce screen time, and aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
- Join family, friends, or coworkers in encouraging each other to stick to a healthy routine.
- Use the NIH Body Weight Planner to help achieve and stay at a healthy weight.
NIDDK-funded research continues to examine how lifestyle changes affect kidney disease, diabetes, and more. The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort(link is external) is an ongoing observational study looking at a wide spectrum of kidney disease topics, such as the risk factors for loss of kidney function and the link between kidney and heart disease. The Sit Less, Interact, Move More Intervention for Sedentary Behavior in Chronic Kidney Disease clinical trial is recruiting participants with CKD to find out whether decreasing time spent sitting and increasing walking time will result in less belly fat and improved physical function and quality of life.
The NIDDK conducts and supports research on diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutrition, and obesity; and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases. Spanning the full spectrum of medicine and afflicting people of all ages and ethnic groups, these diseases encompass some of the most common, severe, and disabling conditions affecting Americans. For more information about the NIDDK and its programs, visit www.niddk.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.