Kidney stones are a common health issue, with between 7-15% of people in North America, 5-9% in Europe, and 1-5% in Asia being affected.
The condition not only reduces quality of life but can also lead to serious complications such as infections, kidney swelling (hydronephrosis), renal insufficiency, and end-stage renal disease.
Known risk factors include being an adult male, obesity, chronic diarrhea, dehydration, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and gout.
The Role of Added Sugars
A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition has now identified added sugars, commonly found in processed foods, sodas, fruit drinks, and sweets, as a potential risk factor for kidney stones.
“Ours is the first study to report an association between added sugar consumption and kidney stones,” says lead author Dr. Shan Yin of North Sichuan Medical College.
“It suggests that limiting added sugar intake may help to prevent the formation of kidney stones.”
The research team analyzed epidemiological data from 28,303 adults collected from 2007 to 2018 through the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Participants reported their history of kidney stones and their recent consumption of added sugars. They were also assigned a healthy eating index score (HEI-2015) based on their dietary habits.
Participants with a higher intake of added sugars tended to have a higher prevalence of kidney stones.
After adjusting for various factors, the researchers found that the percentage of energy intake from added sugars was positively correlated with the presence of kidney stones.
For instance, those in the top 25% for added sugar intake had 39% higher odds of developing kidney stones during the study.
Further Research Needed
While the relationship between added sugars and kidney stones is not yet fully understood, these findings offer crucial insights.
Further research is required to better understand the types of kidney stones most associated with added sugar intake and the extent to which reducing consumption can lower kidney stone risk.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about pesticide linked to chronic kidney disease, and this drug may prevent kidney failure in people with diabetes.
For more information about kidney health, please see recent studies about drug duo that may treat kidney failure, and results showing these vegetables may protect against kidney damage.
The study was published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
