Lack of Awareness among Renal Transplant Recipients Regarding Consumption of Phosphate-containing Processed Food and Drinks

In the chronic kidney disease (CKD), adequate phosphate control is critical to reduce mortality rate and cardiovascular risks, besides, it may improve renal prognosis. We surveyed the awareness of the high phosphate content in the commercially processed food and drinks among renal transplant recipients, since they usually have reduced kidney function. Thirty seven subjects were provided with a questionnaire to evaluate their awareness of food and drinks containing phosphate. Most of the subjects (91.9%) were aware of the presence of sugar in soda drinks, but only 13.5% were aware of the presence of phosphate. Only 29.7% understood that phosphate is present in processed food, such as hamburgers and pizza, and 64.9% were unaware of the harmful effects of unrestricted consumption of phosphate-containing food and drinks. In this survey, 24.3% consumed “fast food” once a week and 16.2% took 1 to 5 cans of soda drinks each week. After completing the questionnaire, 32.4% of the subjects considered reducing their phosphate intake and 54.1% showed interest in obtaining more information on phosphate in food and drinks. This survey emphasizes the need of further education in renal transplant recipients to minimize the possible health risks posed by excessive consumption of phosphate additives.