April 6, 2021
2 minute read
Findings suggest that kidney disease specialists may not routinely recommend plant-based diets to their kidney disease patients due to concerns about patient acceptance and ability to follow a meal plan.
The results, presented virtually at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting, also highlighted a lack of patient knowledge about the benefits of such diets.
Melanie Betts, MS, RD, CSR, CSG, LDN, Chronic Kidney Disease Nutrition and Education Specialist at the University of Chicago School of Medicine; She conducted research to better understand how often this patient population adopts plant-based diets and to explore potential barriers that may limit recommendations. He told Helio Nephrology that he had planned it.
“i got you [plant-based diets] “It’s been heavily discussed in the literature and in the professional community, but in the online CKD groups I support, patients don’t seem to be aware of it or even fear it,” she says. said.
For this study, Betz et al. surveyed 657 healthcare professionals (58% of whom were registered dietitians and 53% of whom worked in dialysis) and 844 patients (35% of whom had nondialysis-dependent CKD). We conducted a questionnaire on patients with dialysis-dependent diseases (35% of whom had dialysis-dependent diseases). A person who received a kidney transplant.
79% of healthcare professionals reported recommending a plant-based diet to their patients, despite evidence that this diet can be an effective lifestyle modification to treat CKD. Only 56%.
“According to my research, the most common reasons are [plant-based diets] “It is not recommended because patient acceptance is perceived to be low and it is not practical for patients,” Betts said. “This was surprising as we expected concerns about electrolyte abnormalities to be a much greater barrier to recommendation.”
Most patients reported that family food preferences, personal preferences for meat, and meal planning were the main challenges to following a plant-based diet.
Betts argued that it’s important not to view adopting a plant-based diet as an “all-or-nothing” approach.
“We need to meet patients where they are and encourage plant-based diets to the extent they are able or willing to follow,” she said.
Betts said patients don’t have to completely stop eating meat. Just one or two “meatless meals” a week can slow the progression of CKD by reducing protein and dietary acid load, she said.
Regarding specific ways to increase adherence to a plant-based diet, both professionals and patients ranked counseling sessions with a registered dietitian as most helpful.
“Early intervention recommendations by a dietitian can help patients make these dietary changes,” Betts said. “Dietitians have the time and expertise to help patients learn how to implement a plant-based diet.
“I also think it might be helpful to frame nutritional interventions as a way to slow the progression of CKD, rather than just saying, ‘This is good for your kidneys.’ Patients are typically asked what they can do to prevent dialysis.” I’m very interested in that, and a plant-based diet allows me to do that.”
More information about nutrition in kidney disease can be found below. www.thekidneydietitian.org/.
collapse
Betts M, et al. Abstract #336. Presentation location: National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting (Virtual Meeting). From April 6th to 10th, 2021.
Disclosure: Betz does not report any relevant financial disclosures.
