Kidney Stone Nutrition: So Much More Than Oxalate

This webinar was presented live on June 18. The CPE will expire on June 18, 2027.

About 10% of people in the United States will have a kidney stone at some point in their lifetime - and at least 50% will have another stone within 10 years. Nutrition is an imperative component of kidney stone prevention, yet only 8% of urology practices partner with a dietitian and most people with kidney stones get little to no advice for prevention. Patients are left to research kidney stone nutrition themselves, which often leads them down a dangerous road to a low oxalate diet - which limits many healthy foods that, ironically, are good for kidney stone prevention. This session will offer a more comprehensive nutrition solution to kidney stones, reaching far beyond oxalate intake and offer some novel targets for kidney stone prevention including phytic acid and the gut microbiome. The importance of understanding 24-hour urine test results to determine a personalized, effective kidney stone prevention plan will also be discussed.

CPE Level: 3
CPEU: 1 (valid until June 18, 2027)

Performance Indicators:

• 8.1.5 Demonstrates knowledge of nutrient requirements throughout the lifespan, and their role in health promotion and disease prevention.
• 8.2.1 Engages in educational activities to maintain knowledge and to obtain new knowledge of diseases and clinical conditions.
• 10.5.1 Reevaluates and adjusts plans of care to support client/patient health goals.

Learning Objectives

• List the dietary patterns associated with a lower risk of kidney stones.
• Describe the potential risks of a low oxalate diet for general health and for kidney stone prevention.
• Analyze what 24-hour urine collections reveal about current nutrient intake, risk factors for kidney stone formation and how to improve them with dietary changes.

Speaker

Melanie Betz, MS, RD, CSR, FAND

Melanie Betz is a registered dietitian who specializes in kidney stones. After working in the Section of Nephrology at the University of Chicago, she founded The Kidney Dietitian, an online platform to help educate patients and healthcare providers about science-based nutrition for kidney stones and chronic kidney disease. She is passionate about simplifying kidney nutrition and helping people enjoy food and protecting their kidneys.

She has published her research investigating patient knowledge and adherence to renal diets, plant based diets in kidney disease, and the role of nutrition in kidney stone prevention. As a leader in the field, she is on the board of the Renal Dietetic Practice Group, National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and the Dietitian Advisory Group for the National Kidney Fund.