'Western' diet raises kidney function decline

ISLAMABAD: A diet that is high in red and processed meats, saturated fats and sweets is associated with a higher risk of kidney function decline.

Dietary patterns have been linked to such chronic diseases as cardiovascular disease, but sparse data currently are available for associations between dietary patterns and microalbuminuria or kidney function decline, Health News reported.

Researchers from America examined the effects that three different dietary patterns Western, "Prudent" and DASH-style had on the kidney function of 3,121 American women over 11 years. The women were participants in the Nurses' Health Study. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension) diet emphasises fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods and is low in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol while a prudent diet features plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, poultry and fish.

Kidney function was assessed using two different methods:

estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which measures how well the kidney filters blood; and the presence of microalbuminuria, a urinary protein that is a marker of vascular disease and inflammation.

Overall, the women in the study had well-functioning kidneys. But it was found that a Western diet was associated with increased levels of albuminuria (protein in urine) and increased risk of rapid eGFR decline. This was not the case with the other diets.

The findings add to growing evidence that albuminuria, which is widely considered to be an early reflection of vascular disease, may be influenced by diet.