Abstract
BACKGROUND: The global incidence of kidney stones (KS) has increased markedly, affecting approximately 9% of the world's population. The well-established role of high fat diet (HFD) in promoting metabolic disorders through mechanisms such as chronic inflammation and gut dysbiosis, combined with clinical observations from lithogenic dietary patterns like the ketogenic diet, suggests that HFD may represent a significant yet underexplored risk factor for KS formation. This study aimed to explore the association between HFD and KS. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2020. Questionnaire and interview data were used to obtain information on HFD and the history of KS. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between HFD and KS. RESULTS: A total of 31,059 participants were included in the study, with a 9.7% (3,003/31,059) prevalence of KS. Regression analysis demonstrated that HFD was associated with a significantly increased risk of KS [odds ratio (OR) =1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.42, P=0.008]. This association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders. Furthermore, subgroup analyses identified no significant effect modifications. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a positive association between HFD and the increasing risk of KS. However, larger prospective clinical studies are still needed to verify the conclusions.