Trying a mostly plant-based diet for adults in Singapore with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease
Feasibility, Safety and Efficacy of a Predominantly Plant-based Diet in an Asian Population With Chronic Kidney Disease
This two-year outpatient study will try a mostly plant-based diet—at least 50% of protein from plants—in adults with stage 3–4 CKD to see if it is practical, safe (especially for potassium), and helpful compared with standard CKD diet advice.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years to 79 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Changi General Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Singapore) |
| Trial ID | NCT07544524 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a two-year, single-center, open-label feasibility trial enrolling outpatients with stage 3–4 CKD at Changi General Hospital. Participants will be assigned by preference to either a predominantly plant-based diet (≥50% protein from plant sources) with regular dietitian counselling or to a control group receiving standard CKD dietary counselling without explicit plant-protein targets. Clinical and laboratory assessments including eGFR, serum potassium, nutritional markers, and other biochemical parameters will be performed every six months, and quality of life and dietary adherence will be tracked with questionnaires and food frequency records. The primary goal is to determine feasibility in the Singaporean context, with secondary goals focused on safety (incidence of hyperkalaemia) and potential benefits for kidney function and patient-reported outcomes.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 21–79 with stable stage 3–4 CKD (eGFR 15–60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for the past six months) who can give informed consent, are willing to see a dietitian, and are on maximally tolerated ACE inhibitor or ARB therapy are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients who are excluded—such as transplant recipients, pregnant or lactating people, those aged 80 or older, or anyone unable or unwilling to follow dietitian counselling—are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, a predominantly plant-based approach could offer a culturally acceptable, lower-animal-protein dietary option that helps preserve kidney function and improve quality of life while maintaining acceptable potassium safety.
How similar studies have performed: Observational studies and small trials have suggested plant-forward diets can be safe and associated with better kidney-related markers, but robust randomized data in Asian CKD populations are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 21-79 (Only adults who can give consent will be recruited. Older adults aged 80 are not included to reduce the risk of confounding due to age-related frailty, sarcopenia and multimorbidity. Additionally, older adults may have different nutritional needs and energy requirements) 2. CKD stage 3-4 (baseline eGFR 15-60ml/min/1.72m2 for the past 6 months) 3. Willingness to see a dietitian and follow either a standard CKD diet or a predominantly plant-based CKD diet 4. On maximum tolerated dose of ACE-inhibitors (Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) or ARB (Aldosterone receptor blocker) as determined by Renal Physician in charge 5. Able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Transplant patients (who will tend to have more variable trajectories, immunosuppression related challenges etc which may make this study less feasible) * Pregnant or lactating patients (who have different nutritional requirements than the standard CKD patients) * Patients who were on any special diet for at least 1 month prior to recruitment (inclusive of * long-term vegans or vegetarians) - excluded because they already have stable dietary habits * Age \<21 or \>/= 80 (Avoid growing children who have different nutritional requirements and advanced elderly who are more likely to have malnutrition or sarcopenia due to other pre-existing causes) * Those who have seen a dietitian for CKD previously * Patients with severe ischemic heart disease, decompensated liver cirrhosis, malabsorptive diseases or malignancy * Patients with BMI \<18.5 or \>40 * Patients with glomerulonephritis, genetic kidney disease or polycystic kidney disease * Baseline serum potassium 5.0 and above * Patients who are unable to modify their diet due to socio-economic issues. * Exclude patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the past 6 months prior to study (unstable renal disease
Where this trial is running
Singapore
- Changi General Hospital — Singapore, Singapore (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.