Obstacles and Opportunities in Managing Coexisting Obesity and CKD: Report of a Scientific Workshop Cosponsored by the National Kidney Foundation and The Obesity Society

Abstract

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and The Obesity Society (TOS) cosponsored a multispecialty international workshop in April 2021 to advance the understanding and management of obesity in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The underlying rationale for the workshop was the accumulating evidence that obesity is a major contributor to CKD and adverse outcomes in individuals with CKD, and that effective treatment of obesity, including lifestyle intervention, weight loss medications, and metabolic surgery, can have beneficial effects. The attendees included a range of experts in the areas of kidney disease, obesity medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, bariatric/metabolic surgery, endoscopy, transplant surgery, and nutrition, as well as patients with obesity and CKD. The group identified strategies to increase patient and provider engagement in obesity management, outlined a collaborative action plan to engage nephrologists and obesity medicine experts in obesity management, and identified research opportunities to address gaps in knowledge about the interaction between obesity and kidney disease. The workshop's conclusions help lay the groundwork for development of an effective, scientifically based, and multidisciplinary approach to the management of obesity in people with CKD.

Keywords: Adiposity; CKD progression; anti-obesity medications; bariatric surgery; chronic kidney disease (CKD); diabetes; fat distribution; glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist; metabolic surgery; nutrition; obesity; patient engagement; renal function; research recommendations; weight loss.