Researchers talked to 32 veterans with chronic kidney disease about their eating habits and challenges. They found that veterans’ food choices are shaped by major health events, military culture, and family support—not just strict diet rules. The study shows that doctors and nutritionists should work with veterans to create flexible, personalized eating plans rather than giving them rigid restrictions. Understanding these veterans’ unique experiences can help healthcare providers give better advice that actually works in real life.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How veterans with kidney disease think about food, what makes eating healthy hard for them, and what influences their food choices
  • Who participated: 32 veterans (average age 71 years old) being treated at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Colorado. About half were white, and about 1 in 6 were women. All had moderate to severe kidney disease, some on dialysis.
  • Key finding: Veterans’ eating habits are shaped more by major health events (like a heart attack or kidney failure diagnosis), military culture, and family support than by strict diet rules alone. They struggle when given rigid, complicated dietary restrictions.
  • What it means for you: If you’re a veteran with kidney disease, doctors should work with you to create flexible eating plans that fit your life, not just hand you a list of foods to avoid. This approach may help you stick to healthier eating long-term.

The Research Details

Researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with 32 veterans who had chronic kidney disease. They asked open-ended questions about healthy eating, managing kidney disease, food preferences, and how they make food choices. The interviews happened between June 2023 and July 2024 at a VA hospital in Colorado.

After collecting all the interviews, the research team looked for patterns and themes in what veterans said. They didn’t start with a hypothesis to prove; instead, they let the veterans’ own words guide what patterns emerged. This approach is called ‘inductive analysis’ and is useful for understanding people’s real-world experiences and perspectives.

This type of study is called ‘qualitative,’ which means it focuses on understanding experiences and perspectives rather than measuring numbers. It’s different from studies that count how many people get better or worse—instead, it explores the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind people’s behaviors and choices.

Understanding veterans’ real experiences with kidney disease and food is important because veterans are a unique population. They may have military-influenced eating habits, different attitudes about health and discipline, and specific social and emotional factors that affect their food choices. Generic nutrition advice might not work for them. By listening to their actual experiences, researchers can help doctors and nutritionists create better, more personalized approaches that veterans will actually follow.

This study has several strengths: it included 32 participants (a reasonable number for this type of research), used structured interviews with consistent questions, and analyzed the data systematically. The researchers were careful to look for patterns without forcing their own ideas onto the data. However, because this is qualitative research, the findings describe these specific veterans’ experiences and may not apply exactly the same way to all veterans with kidney disease. The study was also done at one VA hospital, so results might differ in other locations.

What the Results Show

Three main themes emerged from what the veterans shared:

Moments That Matter: Veterans described how major health events—like a heart attack, kidney failure diagnosis, or being told they might die—changed how they thought about food. These ‘wake-up call’ moments made them more willing to change their eating habits. This suggests that timing matters: doctors might have better success talking about diet changes right after these important health events.

The Burden of Rigid Rules: Veterans felt frustrated by strict, complicated dietary restrictions. Many said they received conflicting advice from different doctors and nutritionists, which made it confusing. They wanted flexibility and practical guidance, not just a long list of foods to avoid. Some veterans said that overly strict rules actually made them less likely to follow the diet because it felt impossible to maintain.

Social and Military Influences: Veterans’ eating habits were heavily influenced by their military background, family support, and social situations. Military culture often emphasizes ’tough it out’ attitudes and communal eating. Family members and friends either helped or hindered their ability to eat healthier. Environmental factors—like what food was available and affordable—also played a big role.

Veterans also mentioned that they wanted healthcare providers to acknowledge how hard it is to change eating habits while managing a serious disease. They appreciated when doctors explained why certain foods mattered for their kidney health, rather than just saying ‘don’t eat this.’ Veterans valued personalized approaches that considered their individual preferences, lifestyle, and what they could realistically do. Some veterans felt that their military experiences and values weren’t being considered in their healthcare, and they wanted providers to understand their background better.

Previous research has shown that people with chronic kidney disease struggle with dietary adherence (sticking to diet recommendations). This study adds important context: it shows that for veterans specifically, the problem isn’t just about willpower or understanding the rules—it’s about how recommendations are delivered and whether they fit with veterans’ values, experiences, and real-world situations. The finding that major health events create opportunities for change aligns with other research on behavior change, but this study shows how powerful these moments are specifically for veterans.

This study only included veterans from one VA hospital in Colorado, so the findings might not apply to all veterans everywhere. The group was mostly older (average age 71) and mostly male, so results might be different for younger veterans or women veterans. The study relied on what veterans told researchers in interviews, which means it captures their perspectives but not necessarily objective facts about their eating habits. Finally, because this is qualitative research exploring experiences rather than testing a specific treatment, it doesn’t prove that flexible approaches work better than strict ones—it just shows what veterans prefer and find challenging.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare providers should: (1) Create personalized, flexible eating plans rather than one-size-fits-all strict diets (moderate confidence); (2) Have important conversations about diet changes right after major health events when veterans are most motivated (moderate-to-high confidence); (3) Explain the ‘why’ behind dietary recommendations, not just the rules (moderate confidence); (4) Consider veterans’ military background and values when giving nutrition advice (moderate confidence); (5) Involve family and social support in dietary planning (moderate confidence). These recommendations are based on veterans’ reported experiences and preferences, not on testing whether they actually improve health outcomes.

This research is most relevant to: veterans with chronic kidney disease, doctors and nutritionists who work with veterans, VA healthcare administrators, and anyone designing nutrition programs for veterans. It’s also useful for family members of veterans with kidney disease who want to understand their loved one’s challenges. The findings may also apply to other people with kidney disease, though the military and veteran-specific aspects may be less relevant.

Veterans described that major health events created immediate shifts in motivation. However, actually changing eating habits and seeing health benefits typically takes weeks to months. Veterans should expect that flexible, personalized approaches might take longer to show results than strict diets, but they’re more likely to be sustainable long-term (months and years).

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily meals and note which ones felt sustainable and realistic for your life. Instead of tracking ‘compliance’ with strict rules, track whether you felt the meal plan was doable and whether you actually stuck with it. Rate each day on a scale of 1-10 for how well the eating plan fit your life.
  • Work with the app to create a personalized meal plan that reflects your food preferences, military background, and family traditions—not a generic kidney disease diet. Use the app to set flexible goals (like ’eat more vegetables’ rather than ’never eat potassium’) and celebrate small wins. Share your plan with family members through the app so they can support you.
  • Monthly check-ins to review which eating strategies actually worked for you in real life. Adjust the plan based on what was realistic, not what was ‘perfect.’ Track moments when you felt motivated to eat healthier (like after a doctor’s appointment) and use those insights to plan future behavior changes. Monitor how you feel and any lab results with your healthcare team, not just whether you followed rules perfectly.

This research describes veterans’ experiences and perspectives with kidney disease and nutrition—it does not provide medical advice. If you have chronic kidney disease, work closely with your doctor and a registered dietitian to develop a nutrition plan tailored to your specific kidney function, lab values, and health conditions. Never make major changes to your diet without consulting your healthcare provider first. This study suggests that flexible, personalized approaches may be more sustainable, but individual needs vary greatly. Always follow your healthcare team’s specific recommendations for your situation.