Nutrition Care Process and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Review

Abstract

The nutrition care process (NCP) is a four-step approach to nutrition problem solving and care that is designed to guide and illuminate the work of the professionals. NCP model provides a consistent structure and framework for food and nutrition professionals to use while delivering nutrition care. A standardized language in form of International Dietetic and Nutrition Terminology (IDNT) has been in place to communicate, document and evaluate the efficacy of nutrition care and may translate into improved clinical outcomes. Implementation of the NCP helps to generate comparative data and information relating to the impact of nutrition interventions to resolve nutrition problems. Malnutrition is one of the important features of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and it occurs in varying degrees depending on stage of CKD. Various studies have supported the implementation of a systematic approach to patient care in line with NCP and have shown improvement in dietary intake and nutritional status among CKD patients. Providing individualised nutritional counselling improves many components of quality of life prior to dialysis treatment. The overall goal of implementing NCP among CKD patients is to match dietary intake with existing kidney function or renal replacement therapy while preventing nutritional deficiencies. Literature published between January 1985 and January 2016 in peer reviewed scientific journals were considered. Only full text articles in English were included. This review article attempts to highlight the important features of Nutrition Care Process (NCP) and International Dietetics and Nutrition Terminology (IDNT) and its potential application in chronic kidney disease (CKD).