Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing concern in the United States, particularly in the obese population. Despite the rising burden, trends in the mortality rates of obesity-related CKD remain underexplored. The aim of our study was to evaluate demographic disparities in mortality trends among obese individuals with CKD in the United States from 2018 to 2023. METHODS: Death certificate data, obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiological Research database, involving individuals aged 25 years or older, were studied from 2018 to 2023 for CKD mortality in the obese population. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were analyzed by stratifying the population by sex, age, race, and geographic region. RESULTS: A total of 9,714 adult deaths, involving individuals aged 25 years or older, from obesity-related CKD were reported between 2018 and 2023. After reaching a peak in 2021 and then falling, the AAMR increased from 0.27 in 2018 to 0.36 in 2023. Mortality rates were slightly higher for men (AAMR: 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39-0.42) than for women (AAMR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.37-0.39). There were notable racial differences, with Asian adults having the lowest mortality and Native Hawaiians having the highest. Mortality rates increased with age, reaching over 2.0 per 100,000 for those aged 75 years and older. States differed greatly, with New York having the lowest rates and Oklahoma having the highest. CONCLUSION: The mortality rates showed a disproportionate rise from 2018 to 2023, with the highest mortality burden in 2021. Trends among men were comparable to those among women. Higher mortality was observed among the elderly, Black populations, and Southern and Midwestern regions. These increasing trends highlight the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation.