TOPLINE:

Higher frequency of physical activity was associated with a 71% lower risk for accelerated decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than physical inactivity in a general population of adults without diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a study to investigate the association between physical activity and measured GFR (mGFR) decline in 1837 individuals aged 50-64 years without self-reported diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease at baseline.
• Physical activity was assessed at baseline via self-report using the Physical Activity Frequency, Intensity, and Duration questionnaire, with volume expressed in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes per week.
• GFR was measured at multiple timepoints over 11 years using iohexol clearance.

TAKEAWAY:

• At baseline, 694 participants with mGFR met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of at least 450 MET minutes per week. In this cohort, the median decline in mGFR was -1.06 mL/min/1.73 m²/year.
• A higher frequency of weekly physical activity (almost every day or approximately five times per week) was associated with a 71% lower risk for accelerated GFR decline than no physical activity (adjusted odds ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11-0.78).
• Participants engaging in physical activity almost daily experienced a slower mGFR decline by 0.47 mL/min/1.73 m²/year (P = .006).
• Physical activity frequency showed a dose-response trend, with higher frequency associated with a slower annual decline in mGFR (P = .001).

IN PRACTICE:

"Higher weekly PA [physical activity] frequency and adherence to the WHO PA recommendations are associated with a slower mGFR decline and a reduced risk of accelerated mGFR decline in a healthy general population," the authors wrote.

"As an intervention targeting the drivers of CKD [chronic kidney disease], increased PA across all age groups globally offers a low-cost, high-impact strategy with significant economic benefits," they added.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Inger Therese Tonsberg Enoksen, PhD, Metabolic and Renal Research Group, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. It was published online on September 03, 2025, in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

LIMITATIONS:

The study relied on self-reported physical activity, which may have introduced recall or reporting bias. Its observational design precluded any inference of a causal relationship between physical activity and GFR decline. Additionally, unmeasured variables such as diet and other lifestyle factors may have resulted in residual confounding.

DISCLOSURES:

One author reported receiving funding from Helse Nord RHF and Boehringer Ingelheim, and another author received the same from Helse Nord RHF. Some authors disclosed being employees of certain universities in Norway.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.