Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40753441›Full record

ArticleBMC nutrition2025

Kenyan dietitians' knowledge of ketogenic dietary therapies for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Pauline Samia, Violet Naanyu, Perry Ndila, J Helen Cross, Richard Idro, Paul Boon, Jo M Wilmshurst, Stanley Luchters

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Article in BMC nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Pauline SamiaDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya. pauline.samia@aku.edu.
Violet NaanyuSchool of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
Perry NdilaDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
J Helen CrossUCL BRC NIHR Great Ormond Street, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Richard IdroDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Paul BoonDepartment of Neurology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Jo M WilmshurstDepartment of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Stanley LuchtersDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKetogenic 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.

methodsWe 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.

resultsMost 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.

conclusionsDietitians 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.

Indexed as

DietitianDrug-resistant epilepsyKenyaKetogenic diet; epilepsyKnowledgeSub–Saharan africa

Identifiers

PMID40753441
PMCPMC12318377

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.