Malnutrition and nutritional therapy of chronic kidney disease in developing countries: The Asian perspective

There is a paucity of data regarding the prevalence and clinical consequences of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in the chronic renal failure, maintenance dialysis, and renal transplant population in developing countries. Malnutrition, which is reported to be present in 42% to 77% of the end-stage renal disease population in developing countries, is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality. Many religious practices in developing countries promote abstinence from meat, fish, and eggs. Both a vegetarian dietary pattern, which is being adopted by an increasing number of people, and ingestion of inadequate protein and calories in the diet to arrest the progression of chronic renal failure, may lead to malnutrition. The attendant complications of PEM, malaise, wasting, anemia, and decreased immunity, may predispose these patients to infections. This is commonly seen in both the maintenance hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis population and may decrease their survival. There is an urgent need for nutritional counseling by a dietitian to contain the damage of malnutrition and to provide important nutritional information to the patient. Consultation with a dietitian should take place at least 3 times yearly and, in malnourished patients, more often, as needed. Dietetic documentation should include reports of food intake, subjective global assessment, anthropometric measurements, estimation of the nPNA, serum albumin, and prealbumin, the serum lipid profile, sodium and potassium intake, calcium and phosphorus status, and any, changes in body weight. (C) 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.