People who are sedentary for too long during the day might be at increased risk for chronic kidney disease, according to a recent study that will be presented during the 2015 ASN Kidney Week at the San Diego Convention Center, in California, November 3-8, 2015.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition where the kidneys do not work effectively. CKD does not usually cause symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage, and it is usually detected at earlier stages by blood and urine tests. Main symptoms of advanced kidney disease include tiredness, swollen ankles, feet or hands (due to water retention), shortness of breath, nausea, and blood in the urine.

Sedentary behavior, or the engagement in activities in a sitting or lying position that hardly raises a person’s energy expenditure above resting level, is commonly misinterpreted with physical inactivity, which is the complete absence of moderate/vigorous physical activity. Sedentary behavior is a well-established risk factor for obesity, hypertension and diabetes, however its role on the risk for chronic kidney disease (CDK) development remains unknown.

To address this issue, Dominique Ferranti, Srini Beddhu, MD, both from the University of Utah School of Medicine, and colleagues measured intensity and duration of physical activity in a total of 5,873 adults. The results showed that each 80 minutes/day (assuming 16 awake hours/day) increase in sedentary duration was associated with a 20% increased likelihood of chronic kidney disease. This was found to be independent of the duration of moderate/vigorous physical activity, coronary artery disease, lung disease, congestive heart failure, demographics, and mobility limitations. This association was found to persist after researchers adjusted for the variables obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

“Sedentary behavior, which is not mere lack of moderate/vigorous physical activity, is likely an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease,” said Dr. Beddhu said in a news release. “It needs to be tested whether sedentary behavior affects the progression of chronic kidney disease, and thereby, increases the risk of end stage renal disease. Hence, interventions targeting sedentary behavior to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease need to be conducted.”