Kochi, Wednesday, March 10, 2010: Better living standards and sedentary life style make Keralites more prone to develop diabetes and subsequently kidney diseases compared to people in other states, an expert said here.

Kidney diseases were silent killers, which will largely affect the quality of life and a number of disorders could increase the risk of developing kidney disease, Dr M Abi Abraham, Senior Consultant and Chief Nephrologist, Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Limited and Secretary, Nephrology Association of Kerala, said today.

It has been estimated that every year in Kerala, 3000 to 4000 people develop kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplantation, he said on the eve of the World Kidney Day tomorrow. Population studies conducted in various parts of Kerala in the last few years demonstrated a prevalence of diabetes between eight to 12 per cent in the adult population, he said.