In collaboration with two Malaysian institutes of higher learning, UPM and UNITEN launched the My Nutri Kidney® system through the interface program application format (API) to help health agencies and chronic kidney patients manage the nutritional aspect easily.

This initiative is implemented to address the issue of chronic kidney disease in Malaysia which has recorded more than 9% of the adult population with stage 1 to 5 kidney disease due to diabetes, high blood pressure and ageing factor.

Chronic kidney patients required careful dietary care to ensure that the source of nutrients consumed is complete and adequate based on a person's health to guarantee that high blood pressure, cholesterol, slum concentration, and protein leakage levels in the urine can be reduced.

Dietary plan for chronic kidney patients has proven to prevent continued kidney damage thus, patients do not have to undergo dialysis or kidney transplant treatment and save financial expenses for treatment in the long term.

A team of researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia led by Dr. Zulfitri 'Azuan Mat Daud from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UPM, in collaboration with UNITEN researchers, have successfully developed the My Nutri Kidney® mobile health application that patients can access through smartphone usage and update their health and background information at any time.

Based on the intelligence of the Health Belief Model, the app collects patient information data to ensure that the dietary recommendations given are compatible with the patient's kidney condition.

The system is developed to replace the traditional methods where a thick recipe book based on chronic kidney patients is published as a guide for patients in nutrition care.

This recipe book method is no longer relevant today due to the physical attributes of the book such as thick and heavy makes it difficult to carry around, limited recipes, and not taking into account on the patient's background making it difficult for the patient to obtain an accurate source of nutritional nutrients thus making a balanced diet based on the needs of an individual's kidneys is unattainable. In addition, the medium is limited to pictures and lengthy word, caused distractions to the patient's interest and attention.

Date of Input: 23/02/2022 | Updated: 23/02/2022 | asrizam