Beliefs About Plant-Based Diet in Inner City CKD and Family Medicine Patients and Relationship to Dietary Patterns

Abstract

Abstract Objectives We compared beliefs about plant-based eating and dietary intake in patients attending inner-City CKD and Family Medicine (FM) clinics. Methods A face-to-face survey was conducted in a random convenience sample of pts in CKD (23) and FM clinics (22). Patients were asked to answer 5 multiple choice questions assessing their beliefs regarding difficulty in finding plant-based foods in restaurants, affordability, ability to get proteins and vitamins, and ability to find good tasting recipes. A mean score was calculated. Lower score indicates more difficulty (PBE-score). Diet analysis was based on 24hr recall and analyzed using ASA-24 software. Comparisons are by t-test unless noted. Results Mean age was 54.3 ± 2.5 yrs. There were 16 (35.6%) males and 22 (62.2%) females with 40 black (89%). 36 (80%) had not completed college. 23 (51%) had an income < $20 K. 16 (35%) were employed. 20 (44%) had diabetes. 22 (49%) received SNAP benefits. Mean BMI was 30.4 ± 1.6 with 41% > 30. There were no differences between clinics. CKD pts had higher creatinine (2.01 ± 0.39 vs 0.85 ± 0.05) and lower albumin (3.92 ± 0.12 vs 4.32 ± 0.09, P = 0.012). CKD pts had more positive attitude towards plant-based eating (PBE-score 2.57 ± 0.1 vs 2.21 ± 0.13, P < 0.05), and ate more cholesterol (411.6 ± 65.2 vs 248.7 ± 30.3, P = 0.031), fatty seafood (1.41 ± 0.54 vs 0.17 ± 0.1, P = 0.034) and eggs (1.05 ± 0.27 vs 0.42 ± 0.16, P = 0.048) and drank more fluid (2499.0 ± 335.6 vs 1367.9 ± 167.1, P = 0.005) than FM pts. Protein, carbohydrate intake and total calories were similar and fruit and vegetable intake was low (1.33 ± 0.3 and 1.34 ± 0.19 respectively). PBE-score did not correlate with dietary intake and serum cholesterol did not differ (184.3 ± 9.4 vs 170.2 ± 8.0, P = NS). Conclusions In our population: 1. Pts with CKD had a more positive attitude towards plant-based eating and were more likely to believe they could eat more plant-based. 2. CKD pts ate more cholesterol with higher intake of eggs and fatty seafood, and drank more fluid. 3.Vegetable intake was poor and there was no difference between the groups. 4. The positive attitude of CKD pts towards plant-based eating and our indigent population as a whole suggests that education could be successful and should be explored further as our population as a whole has a high prevalence of CKD, obesity and diabetes. Funding Sources None.