Diet and nutrition can help improve overall and kidney health, but they can also cause kidney disease.1 Evidence suggests that high intake of dietary protein especially from animal sources may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD)2 in a similar way that high energy intake and presence of obesity often cause diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Once CKD is present, certain types of foods and other nutritional interventions such as a plant-dominant, low-protein diet or weight and body fat control can help slow the rate of CKD progression.