Let’s preserve the health of our kidneys: what damages them, what protects them, and what can we do in our everyday lives?

The newsletter of the Hungarian Dietitians’ National Association (MDOSZ) Academy of Nutrition summarizes, in connection with World Kidney Day, how to prevent kidney function deterioration, what lifestyle risks accelerate the process, and what nutritional guidelines can help with long-term protection.

Why is it important to talk about it now?

World Kidney Day is an international campaign: the goal is to make as many people as possible understand what protecting your kidneys means and why it’s worth getting screened. According to the newsletter, the second Thursday of March every year has been World Kidney Day (at the initiative of Hungary) since 2005.

Kidney disease is often associated with comorbidities: the document highlights diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and obesity, as well as the importance of familial occurrence. Simple laboratory tests – such as eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) and urine protein – can provide clues to the diagnosis, and communication that is understandable to the public is considered of utmost importance.

What does eGFR show, and why does it matter?

According to the MDOSZ material table, kidney function stages can be linked to eGFR values:

• ≥90: normal or increased kidney function

• 60–89: slightly decreased

• 45–59: moderately decreased

• 30–44: moderate decline

• 15–29: severe decline

• <15: end-stage renal disease