Study: Stay thin, avoid kidney stones

From Reuters Health:

Men and women who tip the scale at more than 220 pounds are significantly more likely to develop kidney stones than people who weigh less than 150 pounds, according to new study findings reported Tuesday.

Based on data from nearly 250,000 people collected over almost 50 years, the study's authors also found that men who gained more than 35 pounds since turning 21 were nearly 40 percent more likely to develop kidney stones. Women who gained the same amount after age 18 had up to an 80 percent increase in risk.

"Our study provides additional evidence that people should maintain a healthy body weight," study author Dr. Eric N. Taylor of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston told Reuters Health. "Kidney stones are common, expensive, and extremely painful."

Taylor explained that the current study -- published in the Journal of the American Medical Association -- was not designed to figure out why overweight people develop more kidney stones.

However, he noted that research shows that people who are obese often develop a pre-diabetic problem called insulin resistance. This may cause changes in urine that increase the risk of kidney stones, Taylor said.

Taylor added that during the study, not enough people lost weight to determine whether shedding excess pounds will reduce the risk of kidney stones among obese people. "However, our study indicates that weight loss should be tested as a strategy to prevent kidney stones," he noted.

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