Chennai: A ground-breaking study published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, has revealed a shocking and direct link between prolonged sun exposure and a high prevalence of kidney disease among farmers in Tamil Nadu. The research indicates that working directly under the sun, leading to chronic dehydration, is a primary cause of kidney damage, independent of traditional risk factors like diabetes or hypertension.
The study, which has sent ripples through the agricultural and medical communities, found that 5.13 percent of the surveyed farmers in the state have impaired kidney function. Crucially, more than half of these affected individuals had no pre-existing health conditions, pointing squarely at their occupational hazards as the likely culprit. This suggests a silent epidemic of heat stress nephropathy is affecting the very backbone of Tamil Nadu’s agrarian economy.
The international publication was preceded by a robust field study conducted by the Department of Urology at the Madras Medical College in August-September 2023. Led by Dr. N. Gopalakrishnan, Secretary of the State Organ Transplant Commission, the research team surveyed 3,350 agricultural workers across 125 villages.
The initial diagnosis was even more startling, with over 17 percent of participants showing signs of kidney damage. A follow-up examination after three months saw the rate decrease to 5.31 percent, but it confirmed a significant, persistent problem among a population with no comorbidities like high blood pressure, heart disease, or genetic predisposition. The medical team concluded that the farmers’ direct work in the sun was severely impacting their kidney function.
The medical explanation centers on the extreme physical demands of outdoor work. Farmers, pesticide sprayers, construction workers, and others who spend long hours in hot environments rapidly lose body water through sweat. This state of chronic dehydration places immense strain on the kidneys, causing them to lose function over time.
Doctors warn that the condition is particularly dangerous because it is initially asymptomatic. By the time symptoms appear, significant and often irreversible damage may have already occurred. The only way to protect against this, they advise, is for workers to rigorously maintain hydration and avoid fluid loss.
Health experts are urging at-risk groups to undergo regular preventive health check-ups, even if they feel perfectly healthy. Key diagnostic tests include urine analysis and blood tests for urea, creatinine, and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), which are critical for assessing kidney health.
