More than 300 local residents learned about their risks for kidney disease this past weekend with free kidney health screenings from the American Kidney Fund (AKF) at the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, AKF screenings have helped more than 100,000 people nationwide identify whether they are at risk for developing kidney disease because of diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history, being over age 60, or being a member of a racial or ethnic minority group. AKF will provide screenings free of charge to thousands of at-risk people in more than 20 U.S. cities in 2017.

"Helping people avoid kidney failure and dialysis is one of the most important things we do as an organization," said LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO. "There are many factors that make a person more likely to develop kidney disease, and making people aware of those risks so they may take action to protect their kidney health is central to everything we do."

Kidney disease is an increasingly common but usually preventable condition. More than 31 million Americans have kidney disease, and millions more are at risk. Yet public awareness of kidney disease and its causes remains low. More than two-thirds of people previously surveyed by AKF didn't know that diabetes and high blood pressure could cause kidney disease.

AKF's infographic "5 quick facts about kidney disease" provides quick overview of the most important things to know about kidney disease.

The American Kidney Fund is the nation's leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease. AKF's mission is to help people fight kidney disease and live healthier lives. AKF offers kidney disease prevention services and top-rated health educational resources, invests in clinical research, and provides critically needed charitable assistance that helps 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF is a top-rated charity that spends 97 cents of every donated dollar on programs and services. For more information about kidney disease, visit the American Kidney Fund website at KidneyFund.org, call AKF's HelpLine at 866-300-2900, or connect with AKF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.