Nutritional intervention is an important part of renal disease therapy. For a study, researchers sought to better understand the present global availability and capacity of renal nutrition care services, multidisciplinary communication, and oral nutrition supplement availability. The Global Kidney Nutrition Care Atlas was created by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM) in collaboration with the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Global Kidney Health Atlas Committee. Between July and September 2018, an electronic survey was distributed to major renal care stakeholders in 182 ISN-affiliated countries.
Overall, 160 of 182 nations (88%) replied, with 155 countries (97%) responding to survey questions about renal nutrition treatment. Only 48% of the world’s 155 nations had dietitians/renal dietitians to give the specialist service. Dietary advice by a nutritionist was typically unavailable in 65% of low-/lower middle-income nations and “never” offered in 23% of low-income countries. For renal nutrition treatment, 41% of nations did not conduct a formal assessment of nutritional status. Oral nutrition supplements were not widely available in low- and lower-middle-income nations for both inpatient and outpatient use. In 60% of nations throughout the world, dietitians and nephrologists only talked “sometimes” about renal nutrition therapy.
The survey found considerable gaps in worldwide renal nutrition care service capacity, availability, cost coverage, and shortcomings in multidisciplinary communication on kidney nutrition care delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Reference:cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/17/1/38
