NEWS FLASH
Obesity Could Lead To Fewer Organ Donations | According to an analysis at one transplant clinic in Long Island, nearly one quarter of prospective kidney donors were turned down because of their weight. Out of 104 patients at the clinic, 22 percent of the patients who wanted to donate a kidney from 2008 to 2011 were prevented from doing so because their body mass index (BMI) was above 35, and a BMI that high can lead to medical concerns for the donor and recipient. Of the people who were rejected, three donors eventually lost enough weight to donate a kidney. About 92,000 Americans need a kidney transplant, and last week, researchers reported that 42 percent of Americans are estimated to be obese by 2030.
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