A 2026 global analysis estimates that 359 million women were living with chronic kidney disease in 2021, up 90.65% from 1990. Using Global Burden of Disease 2021 data, researchers tracked age, metabolic risks and cardiovascular burden over 32 years, adding new context to kidney disease in women and U.S. surveillance.
Key Takeaways
- The study estimated 359 million women were living with CKD worldwide in 2021.
- Population growth accounted for 58.63% of the increase in CKD-related DALYs and aging accounted for 26.64%.
- Women ages 50 and older represented nearly 90% of CKD-related deaths and about 73% of DALYs among women in 2021.
- Metabolic risks, including high fasting glucose, high blood pressure and high body mass index, featured prominently.
- The CDC estimated in March 2026 that 37 million U.S. adults had CKD and 87% of adults age 20 or older with CKD did not know it.
Kidney disease in women is receiving renewed attention after researchers mapped chronic kidney disease, or CKD, from 1990 through 2021 and found a substantial rise in the number of women living with the condition worldwide.
Published in the Chinese Medical Journal in June 2026, the study analyzed estimates across age groups, CKD subtypes, sociodemographic levels, risk factors and cardiovascular disease associated with impaired kidney function. Researchers estimated 359 million women had CKD in 2021, 90.65% more than in 1990.
Global Study Puts the Scale of Kidney Disease in Women in Focus
The analysis used modeled population estimates rather than a single clinical cohort. It reported that CKD-related deaths among women increased 180.89% between 1990 and 2021, while disability-adjusted life years, or DALYs, rose 114%.
Those increases do not mean individual risk changed at the same rate. Population growth accounted for 58.63% of the increase in CKD-related DALYs, while aging accounted for 26.64%.
Researchers reported the highest age-standardized mortality and DALY rates in low and low-middle sociodemographic regions in 2021. Age-standardized prevalence was highest in low-middle regions.
The age pattern connects with broader concerns around aging and women’s health, particularly as chronic conditions become more common later in life.
Age and Metabolic Risks Shape the Burden
Women ages 50 and older carried the largest measured burden. In 2021, they accounted for nearly 90% of CKD-related deaths among women and about 73% of CKD-related DALYs. Their age-standardized mortality rate reached 64.03 per 100,000, while the age-standardized DALY rate reached 1,493.31 per 100,000.
Among women ages 15 to 49, the age-standardized prevalence rate rose gradually, with an average annual percentage change of 0.13%.
High fasting plasma glucose, elevated systolic blood pressure and high body mass index were among the attributable risks assessed. Among women ages 15 to 49, CKD burden attributed to high fasting glucose increased 40.66%, while the burden attributed to high body mass index rose 112.17%.
U.S. health authorities also identify diabetes and high blood pressure as major CKD risk factors. CDC guidance notes that both conditions can affect blood vessels and structures involved in kidney function.
Researchers also estimated 18.19 million cardiovascular DALYs attributable to kidney function impairment among women in 2021, equal to 46.70% of the burden associated with kidney dysfunction in the study’s framework. Ischemic heart disease was the largest contributor.
That connection places kidney health alongside broader women’s heart health risks, particularly where blood pressure and metabolic health overlap.
U.S. Data Shows CKD Is Common and Often Unrecognized
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The global analysis does not provide a direct U.S. forecast, but the CDC’s March 31, 2026 report offers a domestic comparison. The agency estimated that 14% of U.S. adults age 18 or older, about 37 million people, had CKD.
The CDC also estimated that 87% of adults age 20 or older with CKD did not know they had it. Estimates were based on August 2021 through August 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data and covered CKD stages 1 through 4.
CKD prevalence increased with age. An estimated 34% of adults age 65 or older had CKD, compared with 13% of adults ages 45 to 64 and 6% of adults ages 18 to 44. CKD was also estimated among 38% of adults with diabetes and 21% with high blood pressure.
The CDC cautions that its prevalence estimate relies on single measurements rather than repeated measurements demonstrating persistence. It notes that the report may therefore overestimate CKD prevalence.
Together, the global and U.S. data frame kidney disease in women as a population health issue shaped by age, metabolic conditions, cardiovascular burden and demographic change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the 2026 global kidney study find?
Researchers estimated that 359 million women were living with CKD in 2021, 90.65% more than in 1990. Population growth and aging accounted for much of the increase in CKD-related DALYs.
Which women carried the largest CKD burden?
Women ages 50 and older accounted for nearly 90% of CKD-related deaths and about 73% of DALYs among women in 2021. Women ages 15 to 49 showed a gradual rise in age-standardized prevalence.
What factors were linked to kidney disease in women?
The study assessed high fasting glucose, elevated systolic blood pressure and high body mass index. U.S. health authorities also identify diabetes and high blood pressure as important CKD risk factors.
How common is CKD in the United States?
The CDC estimated in March 2026 that 14% of U.S. adults age 18 or older, about 37 million people, had CKD. It also estimated that 87% of adults age 20 or older with CKD were unaware they had it.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available research and health data. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individuals with concerns about kidney health or related risk factors should consult a qualified healthcare professional for guidance based on their personal medical circumstances.
