Obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are public health priorities that share core pathophysiological mechanisms. However, whether high body mass index (BMI) increases risk of CKD de novo remains ill-defined. To evaluate the role of BMI in predicting CKD onset in the general adult population, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of PubMed and ISI Web of Science databases articles published between January 2000 and August 2016 without language restriction. We selected studies in adult individuals from a general population with normal renal function at baseline that reported the risk of low estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) (under 60 mL/min/1.73m) and/or albuminuria (1+ at dipstick or an albumin creatinine ratio of 3.4 mg/mmol or more) as hazard ratio, odds ratio or relative risk related to obesity, overweight, or BMI as continuous value. A total of 39 cohorts covering 630, 677 participants with a mean follow-up of 6.8 years were selected. Obesity increased the relative risk, 95% confidence interval and heterogeneity (I) of developing low eGFR (1.28, 1.07-1.54, [I: 95.0%]) and albuminuria (1.51, 1.36-1.67, [I: 62.7%]). Increase of BMI unit was also associated with higher risk of low eGFR (1.02, 1.01-1.03, [I: 24.3%]) and albuminuria (1.02, 1.00-1.04, [I: 0%]). Conversely, overweight did not predict onset of either low eGFR (1.06, 0.94-1.21, [I: 50.0%]) or albuminuria (1.24, 0.98-1.58, [I: 49.4%]). Thus, a high BMI predicts onset of albuminuria without kidney failure (CKD stages 1-2) as well as CKD stages 3 and higher, the effect being significant only in obese individuals. Hence, our findings may have implications to improve risk stratification and recommendations on body weight control in the general population.