Between Restriction and Adaptation: Dietary Experiences of People Living with Chronic Kidney Disease
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.30.3.2761%20Keywords:
Chronic kidney failure, Nutrition, Experience, Qualitative research, EatingAbstract
Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) entails transformations in everyday life, in which food plays a central role not only as part of treatment but also as a social and emotional practice. Biomedical approaches often reduce it to dietary prescription and adherence, overlooking the experiences associated with dietary changes. The aim of this study was to understand the food-related experiences of people with CKD and the strategies they develop to cope with dietary modifications derived from diagnosis and treatment.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using virtual ethnography. Data were collected through participant observation in two private Facebook groups for people with CKD and their relatives (May–July 2020), as well as through virtual semi-structured interviews conducted between August and November 2020. Twelve adults with CKD residing in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area participated. Data analysis followed a constructivist grounded theory approach.
Results: Findings were organized into three categories: experiences related to dietary restrictions, coping strategies, and interactions with others. Dietary restrictions were initially experienced as abrupt and prohibition-centered, generating confusion, sadness, and frustration. Over time, participants developed strategies such as self-control, re-signification of sensory pleasure, food-related autonomy, and the use of digital spaces for exchanging practical knowledge. Interactions with family members, friends, healthcare professionals, and virtual communities played a decisive role in shaping food experiences.
Conclusions: Food in the context of CKD is configured as a dynamic and relational process that goes beyond medical prescription. Incorporating the experiences and strategies of people with CKD may contribute to more comprehensive and context-sensitive clinical approaches.
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Copyright (c) 2020 Nancy Rosas-Cortez, Luis Eduardo Hernández-Ibarra, Norma Guadalupe Ruiz Velazco-Sandoval, Erika Karina Ortega Larios, Dania Eliza De la llata Gómez
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