Kyung Hee Study Flags Low Fruit Intake as Top Kidney Disease Risk in 204 Countries
Updated
Updated · asiae.co.kr · Aug 19
Kyung Hee Study Flags Low Fruit Intake as Top Kidney Disease Risk in 204 Countries
1 articles · Updated · asiae.co.kr · Aug 19
Summary
38.68 cases per 100,000 were linked to insufficient fruit intake in the GBD 2021 analysis, making it the biggest dietary risk factor for chronic kidney disease across 204 countries from 1990 to 2021.
30.84 cases were tied to low vegetable intake and 19.81 to excess sodium, showing the study ranked produce shortages above salty diets; average global sodium intake was 4.3 grams a day, more than double the WHO limit.
Kyung Hee researchers said low fruit and vegetable intake can drive inflammation and kidney-cell damage, while high sodium raises blood pressure and stress on the kidneys' filtering units, increasing proteinuria risk.
346,000 Koreans had chronic kidney disease in 2024, up from about 170,000 in 2015, and prevalence reached 25.9% among people 70 and older; more than 100,000 patients require dialysis.
The team said prevention should start early with enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but patients with advanced kidney impairment need tailored intake because excess potassium from produce can trigger hyperkalemia.