Body shape can indicate your risk for future kidney disease.
Researchers in The Netherlands may have found why people who carry more weight around their middle are more likely to have kidney disease rather than their pear-shaped peers.
Arjan Kwakernaak and his colleague from the University Medical Center Groningen looked at waist-to-hip ratios and measurements of kidney health in 315 healthy people with an average body-mass index (BMI). They discovered that the more apple-shaped a person was, the lower their kidney function was. Rotund folks had lower kidney blood flow and higher kidney blood pressure. Researchers suspect that elevated blood pressure in the kidneys may predispose apple-shaped persons for kidney disease later in life.