Investigation of factors affecting nutrition and physical activity of kidney transplant recipients

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate factors affecting kidney transplant recipients' nutrition and physical activity between the first and last follow-ups after transplantation. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The population of the study consisted of patients with kidney transplantation at one private and one educational research hospitals. The study sample included 107 people. The study data were collected by using the sociodemographic and clinical characteristic form, nutrition assessment questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Scale. The t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data. Results: The mean age of the recipients was 47.01±13.78. The results of the analysis demonstrated that the difference between the mean BMI scores determined at the first and follow-ups was 2.44±4.78. There were statistically significant differences between the weight and BMI values determined at the first and last follow-ups after transplantation of recipients (p<0.01). While there was a weak and negative correlation between the differences in the BMI scores and age of the recipients there was a weak and positive correlation between the differences in the BMI scores and the time elapsed after transplantation (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between the mean physical activity score and the variables such as age, sex, the time elapsed after transplantation, marital status, educational status and financial status, type of donor and chronic disease (p>0.05). Conclusion: In this research, the analysis were made in accordance with the difference between the two BMI scores. While the recipients gained less weight as age progressed, they gained more weight as the time elapsed after kidney transplantation increased. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the recipients did not affect their physical exercise levels. In addition, no correlation was found between the weight gain and physical exercise levels of the recipients. Weight gain and physical activity status of recipients should be examined periodically. Key words: Kidney transplant recipients, nutrition, physical activity.