Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines: Impact on Chronic Kidney Disease Prevalence in Diabetic Individuals

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to examine 1) the relationship between domain-specific physical activity (PA) and the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as 2) the association between meeting PA and resistance exercise (RE) guideline and CKD prevalence in individuals with diabetes.

Materials and methods: The study analyzed data from the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional study that included 22559 participants. From this group, 2381 adults with diabetes were selected. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73m², a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g, or a physician's diagnosis. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between compliance with the WHO's PA guidelines and CKD prevalence, with further stratification according to known CKD risk factors.

Results: Individuals with diabetes who met the PA guidelines through leisure physical activity (LPA) and RE were significantly inversely associated with the odds of CKD [odds ratio (OR): 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-0.89]. This inverse association was pronounced in individuals with lower body mass index (OR: 0.31, 95% CI 0.15-0.65). However, individuals who met the recommended amount of PA through work-related physical activity and RE guideline were not significantly associated with the odds of CKD (OR: 1.46, 95% CI 0.44-4.82).

Conclusion: Meeting PA and RE guidelines are associated with reduced prevalence of CKD in individuals with diabetes. These findings underscore the potential benefits of LPA and RE in the prevention of CKD in individuals with diabetes.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; diabetes mellitus; physical activity; resistance training.