Kenyan dietitians' knowledge of ketogenic dietary therapies for drug-resistant epilepsy

Ketogenic dietary therapy (KDT) has been proven to be efficacious for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, it is rarely utilized in low-resource settings. Due to the complexity of implementation, dietitians play a crucial role in managing KDT.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 253 out of the 1,000 registered dietitians. We assessed their knowledge of and interest in further training in KDT.

Most participants were female (78%), with a median age of 33 years (IQR = 28-38). A total of 171 (67.6%) reported knowledge of KDT. However, only 13 respondents (7.6%) answered all five knowledge-specific questions correctly. A total of 83 of the 171 (48.5%) dietitians indicated the capacity to formulate weekly KDT meal plans for patients with epilepsy. Almost one-third (n = 51, 29.8%) knew the contraindications of KDT, 30 respondents (17.5%) correctly listed the adverse effects of KDT, while 41 (24%) correctly outlined the role of the dietitian. The majority, 245 out of 253 (96.8%), indicated interest in further training, with 109 out of 245 (44.5%) opting for online courses.

Dietitians in Kenya have poor knowledge and low experience with KDT but are highly motivated to engage in further training. Formulating a national policy on KDT is imperative to provide a framework that supports capacity building and fosters dietitian experience with KDT. The adoption of targeted training programs could contribute significantly to the advancement of KDT in this context.