¹Department of Pathology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

Correspondence: VD D'Agati, Department of Pathology, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032, USA. E-mail: vdd1@columbia.edu

Abstract

The worldwide prevalence of obesity continues to rise. Obesity has been shown to increase the risk of both the development and the progression of renal failure, even after correction for other comorbid conditions. The ability of nephrologists to intervene will require greater understanding of obesity's renal physiologic effects. Kidney biopsies and functional studies performed on morbidly obese patients without overt renal disease who presented for bariatric surgery have helped to elucidate the earliest obesity-related structural and functional responses.