Obesity raises kidney stone risk

It's time you put a check on your weight as obesity, whether in mild or morbid form, doubles the risk of developing kidney stones, according to scientists. Read on to know more.

Obesity

It's time you put a check on your weight as obesity, whether in mild or morbid form, doubles the risk of developing kidney stones, according to scientists.

"Whether someone is mildly obese or morbidly obese, the risk of getting kidney stones is the same," says study leader Brian R. Matlaga, assistant professor of urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Over the last decade, several epidemiological studies have shown a strong connection between obesity and kidney stone disease.

However, as obesity continues to rise worldwide, Matlaga and his colleagues wondered whether different subcategories of obesity, ranging from mildly to morbidly obese, presented different risks.

Accordingly, researchers used a national insurance claims database to identify 95,598 people who had completed a "health risk assessment" form with information about their body mass index (BMI)

It is a measure of body fat calculated by dividing weight by height and a general indicator of underweight, healthy weight, or overweight.

Matlaga says that he and colleagues aren't sure why obese people are more at risk for kidney stones, though metabolic or endocrine factors unique to obesity are likely reasons, along with dietary factors such as a high-salt diet.