EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DIETARY HABITS IN JAPANESE RENAL STONE FORMERS

To elucidate the relationship between the formation of kidney stones and diet, we carried out a dietary investigation in patients with urinary tract stones. Dietary intakes were estimated for 36 patients (24 men, 12 women) with calcium stones, and compared with the official dietary requirements for the Japanese. Total protein intake, animal protein intake and animal protein ratio were significantly higher for patients with stones in both men and women. Dietary salt intake was significantly higher for male patients and the total group. Dietary calcium and carbohydrate intakes were significantly lower for patients with stones in men and the total group, and tended to be lower for female patients. As a result of dietary guidance, the intakes of total protein, animal protein and salt were markedly reduced. The animal protein ratio was also lowered. Caloric intake and the dietary intakes of carbohydrate, fat and salt were reduced, too. However, the dietary calcium intake did not change. Chemical analysis of 24 hour-urine revealed that the excretion of urea nitrogen was reduced, which reflected the decrease in protein intake produced by the dietary regimen. The excretions of urate and oxalate also tended to decrease.