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Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease

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Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting how the body turns food into energy. 1 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as well as they should. Because of this, excess fluid and waste from blood remain in the body and may cause other health problems, such as heart disease and stroke.2 Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure.3

1. Diabetes Basics CDC. 5/28/24.
2. Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. CDC. 5/28/24.
3. Diabetic Kidney Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Feb 2017.

Why It's Important

Poorly controlled or untreated diabetes can lead to leg or foot amputations, vision loss, and kidney damage. People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are more likely to have heart disease and stroke. Healthy eating and physical activity can help prevent new cases and proper management of diabetes can reduce the risk of complications. Early diagnosis and treatment of CKD may help prevent or delay kidney failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).4,5

4. Diabetes. Healthy People 2030. 12/1/23.
5. Chronic Kidney Disease. Healthy People 2030. 12/1/23.

What's Known

There are three main types of diabetes.
  • Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction that stops the body from making insulin. Persons with type 1 diabetes, need to take insulin every day to survive. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults but can be diagnosed at any age, and symptoms often develop quickly.
  • With type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't use insulin well and can't keep blood sugar at normal levels. It develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults (but more and more in children, teens, and young adults).
  • Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women who have never had diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born. However, it increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby is more likely to have obesity as a child or teen and develop type 2 diabetes later in life.6
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in people with diabetes. Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has CKD. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can cause kidney disease.7

6. Diabetes Basics CDC. 5/15/24.
7. Chronic Kidney Disease. CDC. 5/15/24.

Who's at Risk

Diabetes and CKD are disproportionately distributed across the population. Some racial and ethnic minority groups and groups with lower socioeconomic status have higher rates of illness and death from diabetes.8 Family history is a known risk factor for type 1 diabetes. The risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes is higher among persons who are overweight or obese, are age 45 or older, have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, are physically inactive, have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or have ever had gestational diabetes or delivered a baby weighing over 9 pounds.9

CKD is more common among persons 65 years or older than younger persons, among women than men, and among Black adults than Asian and White adults.10 Risk factors for CKD include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, family history of CKD, and obesity.11

8. Advancing Health Equity: Diabetes. CDC. 5/15/24.
9. Diabetes Risk Factors. CDC. 5/15/24.
10. Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2023. CDC. 5/15/24.
11. Risk Factors for Chronic Kidney Disease. CDC. 5/15/24.

How to Reduce Risk

While age and family medical history can't be changed, the risk of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes can be reduced by increasing physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and losing weight if overweight or obese.12

To reduce the risk of CKD, control blood pressure, stay in your target blood sugar range as much as possible if you have diabetes, increase physical activity, lose weight if needed, quit smoking, and get tested for CKD regularly if you're at risk.13

12. Diabetes Risk Factors. CDC. 5/15/24.
13. Chronic Kidney Disease Basics. CDC. 5/15/24.

How It's Tracked

  • Screening and Prevalence: The New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NJBRFS) tracks the prevalence of kidney disease, diagnosed diabetes, and pre-diabetes among adults as well as hemoglobin screening and dilated eye exam rates among adults with diabetes.
  • Inpatient Hospitalization and Emergency Department Visits: The NJ Hospital Discharge Data Collection System receives diagnosis information about all inpatient hospitalization and emergency department visits from NJ hospitals, and can be used to monitor related procedures, such as lower extremity amputations among persons with diabetes.
  • Mortality: Death certificates are a fundamental source of demographic, geographic, and cause-of-death information.

Other Data and Information Resources

New Jersey Department of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services