Research from the [b]University of Alabama at Birmingham[/b] shows consuming a ‘Southern-style’ diet – consisting of processed meats, fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages – results in higher risk of death in those with chronic kidney disease. Using data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke, or REGARDS, study, the research team identified 3,972 participants who had stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease, but had not started dialysis. They then analysed dietary patterns in those individuals. Those who ate primarily Southern-style cuisine had a 50% increase in risk of death over a 6.5-year follow-up period. ‘This adds to the evidence that suggests that the foods that they eat can meaningfully impact long-term survival in individuals with kidney disease,’ said lead author Dr Orlando Gutiérrez. The study also found that higher intake of a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables was associated with improved survival. A previous study at UAB showed that a Southern-style diet could also possibly increase stroke risk.
[link url=http://www.uab.edu/news/innovation/item/5033-southern-style-eating-increases-risk-of-death-for-kidney-disease-patients]University of Alabama at Birmingham press release[/link]
[link url=http://www.regardsstudy.org/home]REGARDS study data[/link]
[link url=http://www.ajkd.org/article/S0272-6386(14)00593-9/abstract]American Journal of Kidney Diseases[/link]