Kidneys are the most important excretion organs in our body. The function of kidneys include:

• removal of excess fluid and waste products
• removal of some drugs and poisons
• maintenance of the acid-base balance of the body
• regulation of blood pressure
• maintenance of normal bone health

Losing kidney function means:
• waste substances in your body are not removed adequately including water acid
• high blood pressure
• anaemia
• bone disease
• many drugs are retained, so their effects may be increased

The decline in kidney function can accelerate when one has a poor control of blood sugar and pressure. Therefore it is vital to optimize blood sugar and blood pressure control.

The role of a renal dietitian is to facilitate appropriate diet and lifestyle changes toward achieving and maintaining optimal blood sugar and blood pressure control. They are specially trained to achieve the nutritional objectives of specific disease management (e.g. diabetes and renal failure) in a realistic and practical way. This is done by:

• choosing appropriate tools for nutritional assessment such as Subjective Global Assessment for early detection of malnutrition and Biomedical Impedance Assessment for assessing dry weight

• translating laboratory and clinical results into practical nutrition recommendations
   

The dietitians also work closely with doctors and other members of the healthcare team who are looking after the renal patients. The team consists of doctors, nurses, medical social workers, patients and caregivers or family members.

Ultimately the outcome and improvement of health depend on how well the individual adheres to the diet and lifestyle changes.