Dietary strategies to halt the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is fast becoming a worldwide epidemic. There is an estimated annual increase of 8% with an associated economical and clinical burden. Recent research into lifestyle factors has confirmed different dietary attributes play a part in slowing the progression of chronic nephropathies. This has important implications and a potentially cost-saving way, to help reduce the progression of the disease. The roles of obesity, lipids, protein, diabetes and blood pressure are discussed to show how the current literature reflects how to modify the dietary aspects of these. The mechanisms behind these are not fully understood, but the message remains the same that there is an increased need for dietary advice in the pre-dialysis population.