March 8th is a popular day, not only is it International Women's Day, but is World Kidney Day too. To celebrate this vital organ, I thought I would let you know that Web MD recently reported that chronic kidney disease is on the rise, especially among older adults and those carrying too much weight. The CDC believes that nearly 17% of U.S. adults 20 and older have the disease, and according to the National Kidney Foundation millions of Americans have no idea that their kidneys are not functioning properly.

Folks with diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), which includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to work properly. Since the kidneys filter your blood, you really want to make sure they are functioning. While twenty million Americans (1 in 9 adults) suffer from CKD, an increase of more than five-fold since 1980, another 20 million are at risk. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a common, life-threatening illness that often goes undetected until very advanced, but it could be diagnosed early through simple tests.

The following tests are recommended by the National Kidney Foundation:

1. Blood Pressure - high blood pressure can damage small blood vessels in the kidneys. It is the second-leading cause of kidney failure after diabetes.
2. Protein in Urine - traces of albumin in urine is an early sign of CKD. Persistent amounts of albumin and other proteins in the urine indicate kidney damage. You want a score of less than 30 mg of albumin per gram of urinary creatinine (a normal waste product).

There's two more, so read more

3. Creatinine in Blood - healthy kidneys filter creatinine (a waste product from muscle activity) out of the blood. When kidney function is reduced, creatinine levels rise. For this test a score of 0.6 to 1.2 mg per deciliter of blood is considered healthy.
4. Glomular Filtration Rate (GFR) since this is the most sensitive and accurate gauge of kidney function. Doctors measure blood creatinine levels and perform a calculation based on age, race, gender and body size. A score over 90 is good and 60-89 should be monitored.

You are considered at risk for kidney disease if you have either family history of kidney disease or high blood pressure, chronic urinary tract infection or had a low birth weight. If you are concerned that you might have CKD, make an appointment with your doctor so you can discuss your concerns and take some of the test mentioned above. You might also find the fact sheets on the NKF website helpful.

Fit's Tip: Why not get up and get moving for you kidney's sake and participate in the national Kidney Walk - there are walks happening all over the U.S. this spring.