Renal dietitians specialise in assessing nutritional requirements for those people with kidney problems, taking into account their complex needs. Renal dietitians enable people with kidney disease to optimise their nutritional status and quality of life while managing the complications associated with kidney disease.
Diet is an important part of the management for kidney disease. Healthy kidneys remove waste products and water from the body in the urine. When kidneys start to fail, these waste products build up and may result in symptoms such as poor appetite and weight loss. People who have kidney failure may need to avoid or limit certain foods and drinks to help control the levels of some of these waste products.
Renal dietitians provide individual tailored advice; based on blood results, whether a person is dialysing or not, their normal eating habits, social circumstances and any other medical conditions.