Early signs of nephropathy in adolescents with obesity
Authors' conclusion
Excess adiposity is linked to marked kidney enlargement and BMI-related differences in filtration-marker-derived eGFR estimates. Increased KV is frequent despite low prevalence of albuminuria, supporting KV as a sensitive marker of early obesity-related kidney remodeling.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents with obesity aged 10–18 years
- Participants
- 768 adolescents
- Outcome
- Kidney function and kidney dimensions across BMI-SDS categories
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) across BMI-SDS categories (ml/min/1.73 m²)
- 112 to 105
- Cystatin C-based eGFR across BMI-SDS categories (ml/min/1.73 m²)
- 110 to 101
- Combined creatinine-cystatin C eGFR across BMI-SDS categories (ml/min/1.73 m²)
- 111 to 103
- P for eGFR differences (all)
- p < 0.005
- Kidney length >97.5th percentile, depending on reference standards
- 15-19%
- Kidney volume increased, age-/BSA-based
- 48-51%
- Kidney volume increased, height-based
- 15%
- Albuminuria
- <5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | β (95% CI) | P value |
|---|---|---|
| BMI-SDS and kidney volume, multivariable linear regressionIndependent association with KV | 0.29 (0.22–0.36) | P < 0.001 |
Correlates of kidney volume
- Insulin, r
- 0.27
- Uric acid, r
- 0.33
- Systolic blood pressure, r
- 0.33
- P (all)
- P < 0.001
BMI-SDS and kidney volume, multivariable linear regression
- Inclusion of kidney over-size significantly improved model fit
Original publication
Early signs of nephropathy in adolescents with obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 16 July 2026. doi:10.
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