An estimated 280,000 people in Ireland have chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diet is a critical part of their treatment, a group of registered dietitians has said.

They have launched a new website aimed at people affected by this condition.

CKD means that the kidneys have, over time, lost their ability to perform as well as they used to. This leads to a build-up of toxins in the blood. The disease can range from mild to the most severe - end-stage kidney disease, which usually requires dialysis and/or a kidney transplant.

With mild to moderate chronic kidney disease, a person may not feel unwell. The more advanced the disease, the more likely a person is to notice symptoms, which can include increasing tiredness, mild nausea, loss of appetite, having to urinate more often, pain in the kidney area and fluid retention.

According to the dietitians, who are all members of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI), for those affected by CKD, diet is critical and a number of dietary changes will be necessary.

This can be overwhelming for those who are newly diagnosed and the website, irishkidneydiet.ie, aims to help educate patients in this area, whether they are newly diagnosed or are living with the disease for some time.

Until now, there were no Irish websites on this topic and people searching the internet tended to end up on US or Canadian sites. However, these were not always appropriate due to different teaching methods, different renal diet allowances and different availability of certain foods.

"When the patient goes home, they can struggle to find new ideas and new recipes and this is where irishkidneydiet.ie comes in. This Irish resource uses readily available ingredients and Irish weights and measurements to make it easier for patients and their carers to find what they need. The website also gives lots of practical advice for salt, fluid and phosphate restriction - all components of the kidney diet for Irish patients," explained senior renal dietitian, Bernice Moore.

The dietitians are highlighting the importance of diet and this website to coincide with World Kidney Day (March 9). The website contains a wide range of information, including over 40 recipes, a selection of daily meal plans and useful videos. It can be viewed here

For more information on registered dietitians and the INDI, click here