We’re facing an avalanche in kidney health demand – this World Kidney Day, we look at how exercise and lifestyle support can help tackle the crisis

We’re facing an avalanche in kidney health demand – this World Kidney Day, we look at how exercise and lifestyle support can help tackle the crisis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects over 7 million people in the UK - more than 10% of the population - and is rising so quickly that it is forecast to cost the economy as much as £13.9 billion by 2033. Our partners at the UK’s top kidney disease charities have called for the government to give higher priority to the condition in long-term planning, to get ahead of this rise in prevalence and costs.

Kidney Beam’s landmark clinical trial and health economic analysis, published in The Lancet Digital Health, showed that providing digital exercise, diet and lifestyle support to people with kidney disease can help improve patient outcomes, lessen demand on healthcare services, and save health providers hundreds of millions if not billions, if rolled out at scale.

And today, World Kidney Day - 12 March - we unveil brand new preliminary data showing that having access to a specialist health coach alongside a digital exercise programme significantly increases patient activity levels.

Our recent pilot in Sunderland has shown early promising results. Patients were given 12 weeks of support from virtual, kidney-specific health coaches, encouraging them to complete an online exercise programme tailored to their kidney condition alongside education sessions to help them manage their wellbeing.  

Over three-quarters began exercising, compared to less than a third for those without a coach - and participants reported that their average weekly levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity increased by over 90 minutes per week.  This is in stark contrast to typical activity levels from kidney disease patients, which is around 60 minutes less moderate activity per week than healthy adults.

Both our clinical trial and the pilot scheme provide compelling evidence demonstrating that providing CKD-specific exercise and education improves health for people with kidney disease, while significantly reducing healthcare costs. 

Professor Sharlene Greenwood, Kidney Beam’s co-founder and chief medical officer, said: “We have the technology, and we have the evidence, to bring about a major shift towards prevention and cost reduction for one of the UK’s most prevalent and complex health conditions. We estimate the programme could save £143.8 million for the NHS over three years. And that’s conservative – if every eligible person in the UK were to complete it, the amount could total an astonishing £4.2bn.” 

Sandra Currie, Chief Executive of Kidney Research UK, said: “Kidney disease is a growing public health emergency. By 2033, an additional 400,000 people are predicted to progress to kidney failure, requiring life-saving treatments and placing huge pressure on patients, their families, and the NHS. Evidence shows that digital rehabilitation projects, like Kidney Beam, can help people manage their condition, improve quality of life and reduce demand on overstretched services. As our report 'Kidney disease: A UK public health emergency' makes clear, the NHS must invest in proven, cost-effective approaches like these if it is to keep pace with the rising tide of people suffering from chronic kidney disease.”

Andrea Brown CEO, National Kidney Federation said: “The National Kidney Federation believes it is crucial to make digital kidney physiotherapy accessible to everyone living with a kidney condition across the UK. Such platforms can significantly enhance the physical and mental health of individuals living with kidney conditions. Tailored exercise programmes specifically designed for kidney patients may improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength, and elevate overall quality of life.” 

Now, to mark World Kidney Day (12 March), together with our partners at Kidney Research UK, the National Kidney Federation, the UK Kidney Association and several patient groups, we’re calling for this solution to be offered UK-wide on the NHS. 
Our white paper White paper - Reimagining rehabilitation for people with cardio-kidney-metabolic conditions - from inactivity to empowerment outlines in full a pivotal opportunity to tackle the CKD crisis and unlock substantial savings for our stretched health service.