Study Links Apple-Shaped Body to Increased Risk of Kidney Disease

Knowing the type of body you have is always good. If you find that you have slim legs or thighs and the abdomen and chest looks larger when compared to the rest of the body, you have an apple body shape. People with metabolic syndrome usually have apple-shaped bodies.

Generally, apple-shaped bodies are known to carry several health risks. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology states that people with that particular body shape are more inclined to suffer from renal diseases.

The study, led by physician researcher Arjan Kwakernaak from the University Medical Center Gorningen, explains that due to the increased blood pressure in the kidney, the risk for kidney diseases increase in those with apple-shaped bodies.

The association between apple-shaped body type with fat deposit around kidney diseases in later life is not new, but not much was known about the underlying mechanism of the action.

In this study, the researchers analyzed 315 people in the Netherlands with an average body mass index of 24.9 kg/m2. The study consisted of both men and women. They noticed that those with an apple-shaped body had higher blood pressure and lower blood flow in the kidneys, and lower renal function.

"We have found that individuals with an apple-shaped body, even if they are completely healthy and have a normal blood pressure in the body, have a high blood pressure in their kidneys. This effect is present even in people with normal body weight and is further enhanced by being overweight or obese," Kwakernaak said in a press statement.

The researchers state that increased blood pressure in the kidneys in apple-shaped body type plays a significant role in developing the risk of kidney disease later in life.

The best remedy for high blood pressure in the kidneys is to reduce the intake of salt or drugs that block the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), as it regulates the flow of blood and the blood pressure in the kidney.

According to the researchers, further studies will make clear whether apple-shaped body types benefit from medication that aims at lowering blood pressure in the kidney.