Document Type
Article
Department
Paediatrics and Child Health (East Africa)
Abstract
Background: Ketogenic dietary therapy (KDT) has been proven to be efficacious for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, it is rarely utilized in low-resource settings. Due to the complexity of implementation, dietitians play a crucial role in managing KDT.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 253 out of the 1,000 registered dietitians. We assessed their knowledge of and interest in further training in KDT.
Results: Most participants were female (78%), with a median age of 33 years (IQR=28–38). A total of 171 (67.6%) reported knowledge of KDT. However, only 13 respondents (7.6%) answered all five knowledge-specific questions correctly. A total of 83 of the 171 (48.5%) dietitians indicated the capacity to formulate weekly KDT meal plans for patients with epilepsy. Almost one-third (n=51, 29.8%) knew the contraindications of KDT, 30 respondents (17.5%) correctly listed the adverse effects of KDT, while 41 (24%) correctly outlined the role of the dietitian. The majority, 245 out of 253 (96.8%), indicated interest in further training, with 109 out of 245 (44.5%) opting for online courses.
Conclusions: Dietitians in Kenya have poor knowledge and low experience with KDT but are highly motivated to engage in further training. Formulating a national policy on KDT is imperative to provide a framework that supports capacity building and fosters dietitian experience with KDT. The adoption of targeted training programs could contribute significantly to the advancement of KDT in this context.
Publication (Name of Journal)
BMC Nutrition
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01144-9
Recommended Citation
Samia, P.,
Naanyu, V.,
Ndila, P.,
Cross, H.,
Idro, R.,
Boon, P.,
Wilmshurst, J.,
Luchters, S.
(2025). Kenyan dietitians’ knowledge of ketogenic dietary therapies for drug-resistant epilepsy. BMC Nutrition, 11, 1-7.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_paediatr_child_health/595
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.