FOOD-INTAKE OF PATIENTS IN HEMODIALYSIS

Protein calorie malnutrition is a common complication in patients unde rgoing maintenance hemodialysis. Although many factors could promote m alnutrition, inadequate nutrient intake seems to be one of the most im portant. We have performed a cross-sectional study in 42 hemodialysis patients to investigate the nutrient intake and their food habits. The re were 25 males and 17 females, with a time on dialysis of 34,6 month s, and with a hemodialysis regime of 3-4 hours whrice-weekly. Dietary evalutation was based on 7-day dietary recalls conducted by a single o bserver. The energy intake was 29 kcal/kg/day and the protein intake 1 ,2 g/kg/day. Carbohydrates accounted 41% of energy intake, lipids 40,5 %, proteins 16,5% and alcohol 2%. The energy intake in our patients wa s lower than that recommended to the Spanish healthy population and to the hemodialysis patients. Futhermore, the diet contained excesive am ounts of lipids, saturated fat (234 g/day) and cholesterol (389 g/day) . We conclude that dietary evaluation showed the deficits of nutrition al intake and constituted a more sensible method that anthropometric a nd biochemical parameters in the prevention and treatment of malnutrit ion.