Nutrition in Kidney Disease

Abstract

Nutrition in Kidney Disease was written as a part of the Nutrition and Health series. According to the editors, this series is meant to provide health professionals with essential information: a definitive presentation of material and a synthesis of the state of nutritional science. The editors further promise to provide a work that is timely, replete with in-depth reviews by leading researchers, and inclusive of extensive up-to-date reference lists, a detailed index, and balanced data-driven answers to patients' and health professionals' questions. If this book is an indication of the others in the series, the editors accomplished their purpose. Nutrition in Kidney Disease was written to provide an “in-depth focus on the nutritional aspects of treating individuals throughout the lifespan who have lost some or all of their kidney functions as well as examining the current clinical modalities used in treating kidney disease and the consequences of the treatments on nutritional status.” The editors assembled an impressive group of contributors and arranged the material clearly and consistently. All 25 chapters contain an abstract, key words, learning objectives, a content outline, and a summary. The consistency of this format allows for easy reading and a better flow of content with the multiple authors. Each chapter can stand alone and be used as a research guide on its subject. The book covers a wide range of information, beginning with basic information within the field of nutrition and kidney disease and then covering more specific areas. Part 1, “Foundations for Clinical Practice and Overview,” reviews the makeup and function of the kidney, the history of nutritional therapy in kidney disease, and demographic changes in chronic kidney disease that have occurred throughout the world. The elementary nature of this section was the weakest part of the book. The material was too basic for the expressed goals. Part 2, “Chronic Kidney Disease During Stages 1–4 in Adults,” and Part 3, “Chronic Kidney Disease (Stage 5) in Adults,” covered both treatment and management. Part 4, “Nutrition in Chronic Disease in Special Needs Populations,” was divided into two sections covering lifespan and management of other disorders. Part 5 dealt with “Additional Nutritional Considerations in Kidney Disease” and was more research based than the other sections. Perhaps the greatest strength of the work is the practical nature of the material. A beginner will gain general knowledge, while a more experienced practitioner will walk away with a helpful look at practical applications. I felt that the third section was the strongest and addressed issues not commonly covered in book format. The information was also current, and a wealth of resources was offered at the end of each chapter for further study. It is hard to provide information for both the beginner and the experienced reader, but the format of this book allows for both. Granted, the experienced will need to chase the references and dig deeper, but the information is there for the taking. Another useful feature is the case studies presented throughout the book. These allow the reader to better understand practical applications of the material. I believe that this work is a necessary addition to the library of any working health care professional in the field of nutrition and kidney disease. It would also be a great reference for dietitians, since they are likely to encounter some of the issues covered within the work. I was intrigued and will check out the other books in this series.