Kidney Health and Heart Risks: What Iranians Need to Know

Did you know that kidney disease affects around 13% of people worldwide? That's a lot of people dealing with something that's not always talked about. But why does this matter? Well, kidney disease can be pretty sneaky. It often comes with other health problems, like heart disease. So, why is this happening, especially in Iran? Researchers wanted to find out if there's a link between kidney function and some risk factors for heart disease, body measurements, and even what people eat. They looked at something called the dietary inflammatory index, which basically tells you how likely your diet is to cause inflammation in your body. Inflammation can be a big deal because it can contribute to health problems. The study involved over 8, 000 Iranians. What did they find? For one, people with poor kidney function were more likely to have higher blood pressure, a condition called metabolic syndrome, and higher levels of certain fats in their blood. These are all things that can increase the risk of heart disease. So, it's clear that kidney health is connected to heart health, and this is something everyone should pay attention to. But what about diet? The dietary inflammatory index was higher among people with poor kidney function. This means their diets were more likely to cause inflammation. So, eating the right foods could help reduce the risk of kidney problems and related health issues. It's also important to note that older people and women were more likely to have poor kidney function. This could be because as we age, our bodies change, and women may have different health needs.