HOW YOUR KIDNEYS ARE EFFECTED!
Let’s talk about high blood pressure and how it relates to kidney disease. First, let's ask, "How common is high blood pressure and kidney disease?"
Almost 1 in 2 adults in the U.S—or about 108 million people—have high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States after diabetes!
If you are overweight then losing just 10 percent of your weight over the course of a whole year can lower your chance of developing health problems, especially those related to kidney disease!
You probably have a scale at home, but it doesn’t measure obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the tool commonly used to estimate and screen for obesity in adults. That’s because BMI is a measure based on your weight in relation to your height. Of course taller people can carry more pounds than someone shorter, and still not be overweight. Your BMI tells you if you are at a healthy weight or have obesity, or somewhere in between, called overweight.
Normal or healthy weight. An adult with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the normal or healthy range.
Overweight. An adult with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.
Obesity. An adult with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 is considered to have obesity.
Extreme obesity. An adult with a BMI of 40 or greater is considered to have extreme obesity.
Your goal should be a BMI lower than 25 to help keep your blood pressure under control. According to the national guidelines and recent research, losing weight can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure -- and potentially eliminate high blood pressure. And losing weight has additional benefits in addition to lowering your BMI!
How you loose weight is up to you - pick something that appeals to you. Most people pick eating and drinking foods with less than 15grams of sugar per serving and/or putting more movement in their life.
If you want to protect your kidneys by lowering your BP, let your loved ones know that you’re trying to beat your high blood pressure by losing weight, and ask them to support you as you make healthier choices. You got this!