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A growing global health burden is putting women at greater risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with metabolic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity emerging as major drivers of the disease
A new global analysis, published in the Chinese Medical Journal, examined CKD trends among women between 1990 and 2021.
Researchers from The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study to investigate how CKD has changed across age groups, regions and risk factors.
More women are living with CKD
The number of women living with CKD increased dramatically over the 32 years, rising from around 188 million in 1990 to 359 million in 2021.
Deaths linked to CKD among women increased by more than 180%, while disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), a measure combining premature death and years lived with disability, rose by 114%.
Researchers say the figures highlight CKD as an increasingly important health concern for women worldwide.
Women aged 50 and older carried the largest share of the burden. In 2021, this group accounted for almost 90% of CKD-related deaths and around 73% of DALYs among women.
Younger women also face growing risks
Although older women remain the most affected, the study found concerning trends among women of reproductive age.
Between 1990 and 2021, the number of CKD cases among women aged 15–49 increased by 64%. Unlike other age groups, their age-standardised prevalence rate also continued to rise.
The researchers point to increasing metabolic risks as a possible explanation. Among reproductive-age women, the burden associated with high body mass index more than doubled, while the burden linked to sugar-sweetened beverages increased by more than 130%.
These findings suggest that kidney health risks can develop much earlier in life, potentially increasing the risk of serious disease later on.
Diabetes and high blood pressure among key drivers
Metabolic disorders were identified as some of the strongest contributors to CKD in women.
Type 2 diabetic kidney disease experienced the largest increase in age-standardised mortality among the CKD subtypes examined, while the prevalence of hypertensive kidney disease effectively doubled.
High blood glucose, elevated systolic blood pressure and high body mass index were the leading attributable risks across age groups.
These factors had a particularly strong impact among women aged 50 and older, where their combined contribution was roughly twice what was seen in younger women.
A major cardiovascular connection
The study also showed the close relationship between kidney and cardiovascular health.
In 2021, cardiovascular disease associated with impaired kidney function accounted for 18.19 million DALYs among women, which is around 46.7% of the total burden linked to kidney dysfunction.
Ischaemic heart disease accounted for the largest share of this cardiovascular burden, followed by cerebral haemorrhage and ischaemic stroke.
The findings reinforce the importance of viewing kidney disease as part of a wider metabolic and cardiovascular health problem rather than as an isolated condition.
Calls for earlier prevention
Researchers say population growth and ageing were major factors behind the rising global CKD burden, accounting for 58.63% and 26.64% of the increase in DALYs respectively.
They recommend earlier kidney screening, including during preconception and antenatal care, alongside stronger prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The researchers also emphasise improving access to kidney-protective treatments, including sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, particularly in lower-resource settings.