Farm Workers At Risk For Kidney Disease

Key Takeaways

Farm workers are at risk from kidney disease due to heat and chemical exposure

Workers on a grape farm had high levels of toxic metals in their blood

The metals were linked to signs of kidney injury, particularly in the summer heat

THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Farm workers have a higher risk for kidney disease, mainly due to exposure to high heat and agricultural chemicals, a new small-scale study says.

Workers on a grape farm near the Arizona-Sonora border had high levels of arsenic, cadmium and chromium in their urine, and those were linked to increased signs of kidney injury, according to findings published in the November issue of the journal Environmental Research .

“We’re seeing an increase in kidney disease in young people who lack typical risk f