Kidney Health: Eat Well, Live Well

"Kidney Health: Eat Well, Live Well": A Program to Reduce Kidney Injury and Early CKD Progression Through Nutrition & Empathetic Support From a Health Partner

This two-arm, parallel randomized trial study will assess the efficacy of a 6-month (26 weeks) community-based program in reducing kidney injury (as Urine Albumin to Creatinine ratio, uACR), cardiovascular risk (as Hemoglobin A1C and blood pressure), mental health (as PHQ-8) and diet quality (as fruits and vegetables intake and Healthy Eating Index) in community-dwelling, low-income adults diagnosed with early chronic kidney disease (stages 2 or 3 and not on kidney replacement therapies) compared to educational materials and usual care alone.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Chronic Kidney Diseases
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: 1. Welcome package; Behavioral: 2. Welcome information (phone or text); Behavioral: 3. Produce delivery + Recipes customized to produce; Behavioral: 4. E-gift cards to a grocery store of choice; Behavioral: 5. Personalized practical & emotional support through a dedicated health partner

Detailed Description

This study tests a community-based program aimed at supporting adults with early-stage chronic kidney disease to change their eating habits to reduce the likelihood of kidney injury progression.

The program components were design to reduce barriers to a) eating healthier, kidney-friendly foods through the direct provision of fruits and vegetables, grocery store e-gift cards, kidney-friendly recipes, and food preparation tips; b) learning about kidney disease and the role of healthy eating in slowing its progression through educational materials; and c) social connection through empathetic relational phone calls and SMS texts from a dedicated "Health Partner".

Over a period of 6 months (26 weeks), participants randomized to the intervention arm will receive:

• kidney-friendly produce (fruits and vegetables) delivered at their preferred location
• recipes and tips on food preparation tailored to the produce
• grocery store electronic gift cards
• educational materials on CKD and disease management
• personalized practical and emotional support through a dedicated Health Partner

Researchers will see if participation in the program (intervention) reduces markers of kidney injury (Albumin:Creatinin ratio) and cardiovascular disease risk and improves diet (particularly fruits and vegetables intake) and mental health when compared to usual care (control).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 330
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Courtney Mulligan, MA; Phone Number: 512-522-4349; Email: Courtney.Mulligan@austin.utexas.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Nicole Clark, MBA; Phone Number: 210-316-5443; Email: nicole.clark@austin.utexas.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77026
      • Recruiting
      • Harris Health System's Outpatient Center
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77047
      • Recruiting
      • Harris Health System's Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77054
      • Recruiting
      • Harris Health System's Smith Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (18 years of age or older)
• Primary care visit at either one of the three partner clinics from Harris Health [Smith Clinic, Harris Health Outpatient Center (located on the LBJ campus), or Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center (MLK)] and a primary care patient within Harris Health System
• Have had at least 1 visit in the past 18 months with prior history in the clinic (i.e., not first visit)
• Diagnosis of CKD (Stage 2, 3a, and 3b) as defined by estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) ≥ 30 and <90 mL/min/1.73 m2 OR CDK 1 or undiagnosed with urine Albumin Creatinine Ratio ≥ 30 mg/g
• Within the past 12 months, the most current serum K+ ≤ 4.6 mEq/L
• English or Spanish speaking
• Ability to participate in the program at least 6 months
• Ability to clean, prepare, refrigerate/freeze food products that are given to them
• Have access to receive SMS text messages
• Location of preferred produce bag delivery within an available delivery zone

Exclusion Criteria:

• CKD 4, ESRD or on dialysis.
• Taking certain medications chronically (more than twice a week for 90 days) that may interfere with K+ metabolism (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as self-reported during enrollment screening
• Taking mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists
• Taking Warfarin
• Diagnosis of any specific kidney conditions (such as polycystic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis, Lupus associated with Nephritis, Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV)) that would contraindicate study participation as determined by physician
• Medical history of organ transplant that would contraindicate study participation as determined by physician
• Received immunotherapy for primary or secondary kidney disease within 6 months prior to enrolment
• Diagnostic of heart failure conditions Class IV in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification
• Had myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 12 weeks prior to enrolment
• Had coronary revascularization (PCI, CABG) or valvular repair within 12 weeks prior to enrolment
• On active hospice care as self-reported during enrollment screening
• Diagnosis of active malignancy requiring treatment that would contraindicate study participation as determined by physician
• Has decompensated cirrhosis as determined by physician
• Cognitive impairment that would contraindicate study participation as self-reported during enrollment screening

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm 1: Intervention + usual care; Welcome package; Welcome information: telephone call; Produce delivered at their choice of time and location + Recipes customized to produce; E-gift cards to a grocery store of choice; Personalized practical, emotional & educational support through a dedicated health partner	Behavioral: 1. Welcome package; At the end of the baseline data collection visit at the clinic, the Research Staff will hand the participant a welcome packet that includes: educational and motivational written materials (about such topics as CKD and healthy eating for early CKD stages); a collection of recipes featuring kidney-friendly vegetables; Behavioral: 2. Welcome information (phone or text); Those allocated to the intervention arm will receive a welcome call from the Program Staff to provide further details and expectations about the program (such as delivery details and schedule). Those allocated to the control arm will receive an SMS text that informs them of their arm allocation, what to expect and a phone number to call for questions.; Behavioral: 3. Produce delivery + Recipes customized to produce; Content: Bags with kidney-friendly produce will include 2 vegetables sufficient for 2 meals for 4 people, 1 type of fruit, and 1 dried fruit. The total cost is estimated at USD 20, excluding delivery, for prices in June 2022.; Delivery: Bags will be delivered to the participant's preferred location (e.g. home or work) and period of the day (e.g., morning, evening).; Recipes: SMS texts will precede each delivery to share an URL to recipes customized to the items being delivered, and to inform of an upcoming produce bag, its content.; Frequency:Weeks 1-2 (2 weeks): No bags delivered.Weeks 3-10 (8 weeks): Delivered weekly, for a total of 8 bags.Weeks 11-18 (8 weeks): Delivered every two weeks, for a total of 4 bags.Weeks 19-26 (8 weeks): No bags delivered.; Behavioral: 4. E-gift cards to a grocery store of choice; Five (5) e-gift cards to a major local grocery retailer chosen by the participant (from 3 options) at the following frequency: Weeks 1-6: No e-gift card.; Week 7: One card of USD 30.00 value.; Week 11 & 15: One card of USD 40.00, for a total of USD 80.00.; Week 19 & 23: One card of USD 60.00, for a total of USD 120.00.; Behavioral: 5. Personalized practical & emotional support through a dedicated health partner; Each participant is assigned a program staff ("dedicated health partner") who call them briefly (15 min or so) over the phone for empathy-based support on the participant's health journey, and practical suggestions for shopping and food preparation.; The Health Partner will share periodically via SMS text a curated list of evidence-based, trustworthy online educational resources.; Health partners are not trained to answer medical or health-related questions and will not provide medical guidance or advice of any kind. For such questions, they will encourage participants to contact the clinic or physician.; Frequency:Weeks 1-2 (2 weeks): No calls.Weeks 3-7 (4 weeks): 2 calls a week, for a total of 8 calls.Weeks 8-26 (18 weeks): 1 call every 2 weeks, for a total of 10. But during weeks 7, 11, and 19, participants will be given the choice to keep at 1x/week or decrease to 1x every 4 weeks.
Other: Arm 2: Educational materials + usual care; Welcome package; Welcome information: SMS/Text	Behavioral: 1. Welcome package; At the end of the baseline data collection visit at the clinic, the Research Staff will hand the participant a welcome packet that includes: educational and motivational written materials (about such topics as CKD and healthy eating for early CKD stages); a collection of recipes featuring kidney-friendly vegetables; Behavioral: 2. Welcome information (phone or text); Those allocated to the intervention arm will receive a welcome call from the Program Staff to provide further details and expectations about the program (such as delivery details and schedule). Those allocated to the control arm will receive an SMS text that informs them of their arm allocation, what to expect and a phone number to call for questions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR)	Marker of kidney damage and a useful predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events in adults. Uses spot urine to estimate 24-hour urine albumin excretion. UACR > 30 mg/g indicates kidney damage.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Hemoglobin A1C	Finger stick point-of-care portable device. Measures the average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months with a result in %. Higher A1C levels indicate poorer glycemic control and higher risk of diabetes complications.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Blood pressure (systolic/diastolic)	Direct measurement with automatic blood pressure cuff.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Anxiety as measured by scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)	Self-administered. Based on some of the DSM-V criteria for General Anxiety Disorder to identify probable cases of GAD along with measuring anxiety symptom severity. Responders are asked to rate the frequency of anxiety symptoms in the last 2 weeks on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Items are summed to provide a total score (0-21) to inform severity (1-4 minimal symptoms; 5-9 mild symptoms; 10-14 moderate symptoms; 15-21 severe symptoms).	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Depressive symptoms as measured by scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire 8-item (PHQ-8)	Self-administered. Based on the nine DSM-V criteria listed under criterion A for Major Depressive Disorder. Responders are asked to rate the frequency of depression symptoms in the last 2 weeks on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day). The sum of responses to each item yields a total score that screens for depression and its severity: not depressed (0-2), mild (3-5), moderate (6-8), and severe (9-12).	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Loneliness measured by scores on the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale	Self-administered. Respondents rate each item as 'Never' , 'Rarely', 'Sometimes' or 'Often'. Scores range from 3 to 9. Higher numbers imply greater loneliness.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Food intake in the past 30 days as assessed by the Dietary Screener Questionnaire from NHANES 2009-10	30-day food frequency questionnaire (screener) that asks for frequency of intake in the past month (per month, per week, or per day) of 28 items such as cereal, red meat, fruits and vegetables. This study includes four food items linked to kidney health (and mostly acid-inducing): eggs, chicken/turkey, fish, and cheese. Questions are asked in the same fashion as the other questions in the tool.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake and frequency of fruits and vegetables consumption	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake from the Dietary Screener Questionnaire, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Reported per fruits and vegetables as cup equivalents/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Social engagement as measured by the Lubben Social Network scale 6-item	Self-administered. The LSNS-6 is a self-report measure of social engagement with family and friends. The sum of the all items yields a total score that ranges between 0 and 30, with a higher score indicating more social engagement.	Baseline, 6 months
General health and quality of life as measured by scores on the MOS Short-form 12-item (SF-12)	Self-administered. Measures physical and mental health status. Summary scores range from 0-100, with higher scores indicating a better self-reported level of health.	Baseline, 6 months
Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR)	Obtained from Electronic Health Records. Any lab result available from 18 months prior to and 15 month post enrollment date will be obtained for study participants.	As available 18 months before enrollment in the study and 15 months after study participation ends
Perception of kidney disease and role of diet as measured by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire	Self-administered. Answers are on a 0-10 sliding scale, except for one open-ended ranking question. Increases in item scores represent linear increases in the dimension measured. It contains 9 questions addressing the individual's cognitive perceptions, control over illness, beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment, experience of symptoms and emotional aspects. To better tailor it to the study population, "illness" was replaced by "kidney problem". And one question about perceived impact of food on disease was added to tailor it to the intervention.	Baseline, 6 months
Food security status as assessed by the USDA Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form	Self-administered. Self-report assessment of access to food in the past 30 days. The sum of affirmative responses to the six questions in the module yields the household's raw score on the scale. Scores can range from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating lower food security.	Baseline, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake and frequency of dairy consumption	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Food group of dairy is reported as cup equivalents/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake of added sugars	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Reported added sugars as teaspoon equivalents/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake and frequency of whole grains	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Reported whole grains as ounce equivalents/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake of fiber	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Reported fiber as g/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as estimates of individual mean dietary intake of calcium	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Reported calcium as mg/day.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in diet quality as frequency of red and processed meat consumption	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. And reported red meat and processed meat as frequencies (times per day).	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in frequency and intake of eggs	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Added for its acid-inducing properties in chronic kidney disease. Reported as frequencies only (times per day) and amount.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in frequency and intake of chicken/turkey	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Added for its acid-inducing properties in chronic kidney disease. Reported as frequencies only (times per day).	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in frequency and intake of fish	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Added for its association with reduced CVD risk. Reported as frequencies only (times per day).	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months
Changes in type of cheese consumption when reported	Changes in diet quality will be measured by obtaining individual mean dietary intake, as well as frequency of food group consumption, as per analytical instructions in the National Cancer Institute, using USDA nutrient database. Soft vs. hard cheese types added for the acid-inducing properties of hard cheese in chronic kidney disease. Reported as type associated with dairy consumption.	Baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin
• Collaborators: Harris Health
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Maninder Kahlon, PhD, University of Texas at Austin

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 6, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 24, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 31, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): August 1, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): March 26, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mental health; Telehealth; Diet; Proteinuria; phone calls; Fruits and vegetables; Produce; Home delivery; grocery vouchers; gift cards; Community-based trial
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Male Urogenital Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Renal Insufficiency; Kidney Diseases; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00002253

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No