Samia Pauline, Naanyu Violet, Ndila Perry, Cross J Helen, Idro Richard, Boon Paul, Wilmshurst Jo M, Luchters Stanley
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
BMC Nutr. 2025 Aug 2;11(1):157. doi: 10.1186/s40795-025-01144-9.
Ketogenic dietary therapy (KDT) has been proven to be efficacious for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, it is rarely utilized in low-resource settings. Due to the complexity of implementation, dietitians play a crucial role in managing KDT.
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 253 out of the 1,000 registered dietitians. We assessed their knowledge of and interest in further training in KDT.
Most participants were female (78%), with a median age of 33 years (IQR = 28-38). A total of 171 (67.6%) reported knowledge of KDT. However, only 13 respondents (7.6%) answered all five knowledge-specific questions correctly. A total of 83 of the 171 (48.5%) dietitians indicated the capacity to formulate weekly KDT meal plans for patients with epilepsy. Almost one-third (n = 51, 29.8%) knew the contraindications of KDT, 30 respondents (17.5%) correctly listed the adverse effects of KDT, while 41 (24%) correctly outlined the role of the dietitian. The majority, 245 out of 253 (96.8%), indicated interest in further training, with 109 out of 245 (44.5%) opting for online courses.
Dietitians in Kenya have poor knowledge and low experience with KDT but are highly motivated to engage in further training. Formulating a national policy on KDT is imperative to provide a framework that supports capacity building and fosters dietitian experience with KDT. The adoption of targeted training programs could contribute significantly to the advancement of KDT in this context.
生酮饮食疗法（KDT）已被证明对耐药性癫痫患者有效。然而，在资源匮乏地区很少使用。由于实施的复杂性，营养师在管理KDT中起着至关重要的作用。
我们对1000名注册营养师中的253名进行了横断面调查。我们评估了他们对KDT的知识以及对进一步培训的兴趣。
大多数参与者为女性（78%），中位年龄为33岁（四分位间距=28-38岁）。共有171名（67.6%）报告了解KDT。然而，只有13名受访者（7.6%）正确回答了所有五个特定知识问题。171名营养师中有83名（48.5%）表示有能力为癫痫患者制定每周的KDT饮食计划。近三分之一（n=51，29.8%）知道KDT的禁忌症，30名受访者（17.5%）正确列出了KDT的不良反应，而41名（24%）正确概述了营养师的作用。253名中有245名（96.8%）表示对进一步培训感兴趣，245名中有109名（44.5%）选择在线课程。
肯尼亚的营养师对KDT的知识匮乏且经验不足，但他们积极参与进一步培训。制定一项关于KDT的国家政策势在必行，以提供一个支持能力建设并培养营养师KDT经验的框架。在这种情况下，采用有针对性的培训计划可对KDT的发展做出重大贡献。
