Nutrition and Kidney Health: Processing Emerging Evidence About Foods

When caring for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), nutrition is a key consideration for the overall management of high blood pressure, blood glucose, fluid retention, and cardiovascular disease risk.1 Adherence to nutrition recommendations is challenging for individuals with CKD because the guidance is complex and there is a marked difference between what is recommended and what is typically consumed. Notably, the typical diet in the United States is characterized by ultraprocessed, calorically dense foods, and it is higher than recommended in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar, and lower than recommended in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.