A team of researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulfitri 'Azuan Mat Daud from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UPM, in collaboration with UNITEN researcher, have successfully developed the MyNutriKidney® mobile health application that patients can access through smartphone and update their health and background information at any time. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this app collects patient information data to ensure that the dietary recommendations given are appropriate to the patient’s kidney condition and other co-morbidities such as diabetes.
CKD patients required careful dietary care to ensure that the source of nutrients consumed is complete and adequate to control complications related to kidney disease such as high blood pressure, slowing the rate of deterioration of kidney function and reduce protein leakage into the urine.
Nutrition care for early stage CKD patients has been shown to prevent or delay development of End-stage Kidney Failure, which indirectly may avoid dependency on dialysis or kidney transplant treatment, and saves financial expenses for treatment. In addition, for CKD patients who are undergoing dialysis treatment, nutritional care is important to avoid the risk of malnutrition and other complications such as anemia, cardiovascular disease and CKD-mineral bone disorders.