Cutting Carbs, Sugars Could Extend Life Expectancy for CKD Patients

THURSDAY, June 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A diet lower in carbohydrates and sugar could increase life expectancy for adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study published online June 4 in Renal Failure.

Qidong Ren, from Tsinghua University in Beijing, and colleagues examined associations between carbohydrate intake and all-cause mortality in U.S. adults with CKD. Analysis included 3,683 U.S. adults 20 years and older with CKD participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003 to 2014).

The researchers found that participants with CKD had lower mortality risk when consuming 30 to 45 percent of energy from carbohydrates (average hazard ratio, 0.76, compared to 60 percent) and 5 to 20 percent energy from sugar (average hazard ratio, 0.75, compared with 40 percent). All-cause mortality risk was cut by replacing the energy intake from carbohydrates with protein (up to 30 percent) and/or replacing the sugar with nonsugar carbohydrates (up to 55 percent), while the total energy intake remained constant.

"Our results suggest that dietary advice to CKD patients should be given according to their current diet structure (especially the percentage of carbohydrate intake) and sugar/nonsugar carbohydrate should be considered when adjusting their carbohydrate intake," Ren said in a statement.

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