Key Takeaway:
- Nearly 90% of Americans have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, linking obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, and Type 2 diabetes.
- The American Heart Association recommends earlier screening for excess body fat using both BMI and waist circumference to detect risk sooner and prevent serious complications.
- Experts say maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, exercising, sleeping seven to nine hours, and avoiding tobacco can lower CKM syndrome risk.
Nearly 90% of Americans have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, prompting the American Heart Association to recommend earlier screening for excess body fat to help prevent heart disease, kidney disease, and Type 2 diabetes.
The American Heart Association’s first clinical guidelines for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic, or CKM, syndrome identify excess body fat as a major driver of interconnected chronic diseases and call for earlier screening to reduce the risk of serious complications before they develop.
CKM syndrome describes the link between obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Together, these conditions account for millions of deaths in the United States each year. The association says identifying people at risk earlier could improve prevention and treatment.
New Guidelines Target Excess Body Fat as Key Risk Factor
The guidance recommends assessing excess body fat using both body mass index and waist circumference rather than relying on a single measurement. According to the association, excess weight contributes to harmful inflammation that damages multiple organs and increases the likelihood of chronic disease.
“Heart, kidney and metabolic conditions don’t occur in isolation. They are deeply connected,” Dr. Chiadi Ndumele, director of obesity and cardiometabolic research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said in a statement.
“This guideline calls for earlier screening and care, focusing on prevention and coordinated action to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease before serious complications develop or a major cardiac event occurs,” Ndumele said.
Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha, an associate professor at Emory School of Medicine, compared obesity’s effects to rust damaging a plumbing system.
“The rust can damage the pipes, which is like your vascular system,” Kulshreshtha said. “It can damage the pump, which is like your heart. And it can damage the filters, like your kidneys.”
Experts link earlier detection to better long-term health
Current screening recommendations vary by condition. Obesity screening begins at age six, while routine cardiovascular risk assessments generally start at age 20. More intensive heart disease evaluations often begin between the ages of 40 and 45.
Screening for Type 2 diabetes is typically recommended starting at age 35. Kidney disease screening is generally advised for adults older than 60, although previous research suggests testing beginning around age 35 could identify disease sooner and improve outcomes.
“[Chronic kidney disease] is often clinically silent until patients reach late-stage kidney disease,” Marika Cusick, a doctoral candidate in health policy at Stanford Medicine, said in previous research published in 2023.
“By screening for CKD, we can diagnose and treat it at an earlier stage, improving life expectancy and reducing the risk of progressing to late-stage kidney disease,” Cusick said.
Researchers also note that lowering screening ages for colorectal and breast cancers has increased early diagnoses, although other factors also contribute to rising case numbers.
Healthy habits and screening aim to reduce chronic disease
The association says maintaining a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and regular physical activity remains one of the most effective ways to lower CKM (Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic) syndrome risk. It also recommends controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, avoiding tobacco products, and getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
“These actions reduce the risk of heart disease and also support kidney and metabolic health across the lifespan,” Dr. Fátima Rodriguez, an associate professor at Stanford Medicine, said in comments released by the association.
Health experts say the new guidance emphasises prevention and coordinated care, aiming to identify risk factors before patients develop advanced disease that is more difficult and costly to treat.
