Diet therapy after kidney transplantation: a comparative debate between Japan and western countries

Kidney transplantation has a powerful influence on the nutritional status of patients with end-stage renal disease. How to control diet varies in different races and periods after kidney transplantation. In general, malnutrition in patients with end-stage renal disease slowly recovers after kidney transplantation; however, several dietary interventions are required throughout the post transplant course. While hyperalimentation is warranted to control the hypercatabolic state immediately following the transplant operation, dietary restriction of protein, salt and calories is recommended to prevent life-style related diseases, which affect patient and graft survival. No consensus on dietary control in kidney transplant recipients has been reached yet. Herein, we present the nutritional status of Japanese kidney allograft recipients, discuss some unresolved nutritional problems and review the recent literature.