Nutrition News

The American Kidney Fund has launched a new health education campaign for patients with kidney disease, according to a press release. The campaign, entitled Beyond Bananas, is designed to bolster patient-knowledge of hyperkalemia, thereby better enabling potassium control.

A review of studies on the use of intradialytic parenteral nutrition shows the therapy has a role in the treatment of protein-energy wasting in malnourished patients on dialysis but has limited value in improving outcomes beyond dietary counseling or oral supplementation for patients with minimal nutritional challenges.

Children who are obese or overweight may be at higher risk for kidney alterations and kidney disease risk factors, a recently published cross-sectional study suggests.

Use of extended hemodialysis without dietary restrictions may lead to positive effects of maintained or increased BMI and an increased rate of survival, according to recently published findings.

Certain studies have indicated that consumption of probiotics may improve gastrointestinal function and slow the progression of chronic kidney disease.

An intervention that decreased dietary sodium intake lowered mean urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and reduced the risk of albuminuria, according to a published study.

For patients with chronic kidney disease, treatment of metabolic acidosis with oral alkali supplementation or a reduction in dietary acid intake may slow the rate of kidney function decline, thus reducing the risk for ESKD, according to systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Today’s kidney diet is healthier than the refined and restrictive diet patients were instructed to follow 10 years ago. Legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fresh produce and Greek yogurt are among some of the foods dietitians now counsel their patients to include, albeit there is still caution around the amount and frequency. Dietitians are embracing whole, minimally processed foods and focusing on healthy meals instead of the individual mineral content of foods.

May is Mediterranean Diet Month, according to the American Diabetes Association’s Facebook page.

BOSTON — Kidney transplant recipients from underserved communities have limited access to healthy foods and high levels of stress and anxiety, which contribute to a likelihood of weight gain post-transplant, according to results of a poster presented at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings.