Dietary habits among solid organ transplant recipients: results from a single-center study in Poland

Solid organ transplant recipients are at risk of elevated BMI to which eating habits can contribute. Methods: The research tool was a questionnaire assessing dietary behaviors, distributed among patients in one transplant centre in Warsaw, Poland. Patients were asked about food frequency, types, and dietary changes after transplantation.

We included 205 respondents, 44.9% females. Mean age of all participants was 48.38 ± 13.68, median BMI = 24.86 kg/m². Dietary behavior analysis revealed that patients who frequently consumed processed meats also tended to consume more animal fats (ρ = 0.41, p < 0.001), while plant-based protein intake was positively associated with healthier fat sources (ρ = 0.46, p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between paying attention to food labels and the consumption of healthier fats (ρ = 0.27, p = 0.006). The majority of respondents (75.6%) reported a positive impact of transplantation on eating habits. However, higher post-transplant BMI was associated with less favorable dietary change (OR = 0.94, p = 0.018). Longer time since transplantation was also linked to slightly lower likelihood of reporting positive changes (OR = 0.997, p = 0.039).

Study results highlight the need to focus on nutritional education in post-transplant care.