Lifestyle Modifications and the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease

Aerobic training has been shown to favorably alter several of the known risk factors for coronary artery disease including hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes (1). It seems logical that if these risk factors were aggressively controlled in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) by implementing lifestyle changes (e.g., diet and exercise training) to support the pharmacologic interventions that are necessary for the control of the disease, then the rate of progression of the disease may be altered. However, to date, there is no clear research evidence to support this hypothesis. Therefore the aims of the proposed study are:

1. To test the hypothesis that lifestyle interventions (i.e., dietary modification and regular, long-term aerobic exercise training) will favorably alter the natural progression of CKD in a sample of patients compared to a control group who will receive the current standard care.
2. To explore possible mechanisms that could contribute to the observed changes.