Obesity may be a risk factor for kidney donors to develop reduced renal function. The Framingham heart study suggested that visceral adipose tissue (VAT) confers a more adverse metabolic profile compared with subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Asians tend to have a higher VAT composition and it is unclear if their kidney function is affected differently. We hypothesized that Asian living kidney donors who have visceral obesity are at a higher risk of renal function deterioration 1year after donation. Between 2011 and 2014, we retrospectively evaluated data from 73 consecutive patients (52% male; mean age 44.9 ± 11.7years) before they underwent donor nephrectomy and at their 1year routine follow-up. VAT and SAT were measured at the level of the umbilicus on pre-operative computerized tomography (CT). Visceral obesity (VO) was defined as a VAT > 100cm [2] and patients were then further divided and compared in two subgroups: VAT > 100 and < 100cm [2]. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min per 1.73m [2]) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation pre-operatively and 1year post-operatively. Both subgroups had similar baseline kidney function (P = NS) pre-operatively. At the 1year follow-up, patients with VO experienced a more significant decline of renal function (109 ± 9 to 89 ± 8mL/min per 1.73m2), compared to those without VO (111 ± 12 to 96 ± 11mL/min per 1.73m2, P = 0.013). VO was associated with a body mass index (BMI) > 25kg/m2 (P < 0.001), male gender (P < 0.001) and older age at the time of donor nephrectomy (48.0 vs 39.5years, P = 0.01). The presence of hypertension or hyperlipidaemia pre-operatively, choice of surgical approach, and post-operative complication rates, did not differ significantly between the subgroups. Visceral obesity as defined by VAT > 100cm2 at the level of the umbilicus on cross-sectional imaging, may have a significant impact on early renal function after donor nephrectomy. Adiposity markers, as measured by cross-sectional CT imaging, may be incorporated into routine pre-operative kidney donor workup.