Obesity: when the kidneys become overwhelmed

Obesity is a chronic condition that is rapidly increasing worldwide and is associated with numerous metabolic, cardiovascular and renal complications. Among these complications, obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) is a still poorly understood condition characterized by moderate proteinuria, glomerular hypertrophy and progression to chronic kidney disease, even in the absence of diabetes or severe hypertension. However, this condition remains under-diagnosed, mainly due to the lack of specific criteria, the low use of renal biopsy, and the difficulty in distinguishing it from other glomerular nephropathies.