Preventing Chronic Kidney Disease
Published: September 4, 2025
While working in a kidney transplant clinic between May 2022 and August 2024, I met hundreds of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). I was surprised how many had gone years without knowing they had it. CKD often develops silently, and by the time symptoms show up, the kidneys may already be severely damaged.
In the clinic, I met patients who were surprised and overwhelmed when their healthcare provider first told them they had late-stage CKD. However, when CKD is caught early, there are real ways to slow its progression, prevent kidney failure, and increase positive outcomes and treatment options for a better quality of life.
CKD affects roughly 1 in 7 U.S. adults, yet most people don’t even realize they’re at risk. Even more concerning is it’s becoming increasingly common among younger adults, with approximately 6-7% living with CKD. The risk for CKD increases among those with high blood pressure or diabetes. Approximately 1 in 3 people with diabetes and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure have CKD. These health risk factors are often prevented by incorporating health behaviors related to increased physical activity, healthy eating, and eliminating tobacco — some of the research expertise at the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living. at the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living.
What causes chronic kidney disease?
CKD means the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste and fluid from the blood. Over time, this can eventually lead to kidney failure, which is also called end-stage renal disease. At that point, treatment options include dialysis — a process where a machine filters your blood several times a week — or a kidney transplant.
The two most significant risk factors are:
Other conditions that raise your risk for chronic kidney disease include heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and a family history of CKD. Non-Medical Drivers of Health (NMDOH) such as food insecurity can increase an individual’s risk of CKD due to limited access to healthy food choices, poor diet quality, and limited access to and affordability of healthcare. These are also known as Social Determinants of Health (SDOH).
Reducing the Risk of Kidney Disease
Even small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in slowing kidney damage. Healthy behaviors that help reduce the risk for kidney disease include:
- Keeping blood pressure and blood sugar under control
- Eating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, beans, and lentils — and limiting salt and added sugars
- Staying physically active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Quitting smoking
- Getting enough sleep
- Limiting alcohol consumption
Screening
Screening for CKD is easy and often overlooked. It typically involves:
- A blood test to estimate how well your kidneys are filtering (eGFR)
- A urine test to measure the amount of albumin, a protein (a sign of kidney damage)
People with diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or a family history of kidney disease should be screened regularly. Even if you don’t fall into those categories, it’s worth asking your doctor if you should get tested, especially if you’re noticing symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Swelling in your ankles or legs
- Changes in urination
- Trouble concentrating
- Persistent high blood pressure
Getting screened is simple and easy! Talk to your doctor today about whether testing is right for you or your loved ones.
Written by Cooper Slack, a dual MPH/MPAff student with the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin and UT-Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs. Dr. Shelby Flores-Thorpe provided editorial support for this blog.
