DENVER, Nov. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, today acknowledged National Diabetes Awareness Month by highlighting the link between diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

"Diabetes is imperative to monitor and control, as it's the number one cause of CKD. We encourage everyone to educate themselves, schedule routine check-ups, maintain a healthy diet and refrain from smoking to lower the risk of developing kidney disease with diabetes" said Dr. David Roer, vice president of medical affairs at DaVita. 

Diabetes is a disease that affects the body's ability to produce or use insulin. If the body produces little to no insulin, too much sugar—or glucose—remains in the blood. The higher than normal glucose levels can result in either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

Kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to clean toxins and waste product from the blood and perform their functions to full capacity. Diabetes and kidney disease are linked because high blood glucose can damage the blood vessels in kidneys. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes may develop chronic kidney disease.

However, there are several ways to help manage diabetes and kidney disease. Maintaining a kidney-friendly diet that's low in potassium, phosphorus and sodium may help. Make sure to consult a dietitian regarding tips for accurately measuring a serving size. What may be measured as one serving on a regular diet may count as several servings on the kidney diet.

DaVita also offers hundreds of healthy recipes through the DaVita Diet Helper, an easy-to-use online meal planning tool for those with diabetes and kidney disease. DaVita Diet Helper™ offers a Dining Out Guide, Fluid Tracker and ability to create a personalized shopping list.

Additionally, DaVita has multiple collections of kidney-friendly cookbooks. The most recent edition is "Today's Kidney Diet: Fall Comfort Foods." Each recipe is tailored to those with kidney disease, but can easily be adapted for those with other comorbidities, such as diabetes. To download DaVita's the fall cookbook and others for free, visit DaVita.com/FreeCookbook.

To learn more about the link between diabetes and kidney disease and to see if you may be at risk for kidney disease visit DaVita.com/RiskQuiz.

About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, that through its operating divisions provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of dialysis services in the United States, DaVita Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of June 30, 2018, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided administrative services at 2,580 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 201,000 patients. The company also operated 253 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10 countries outside the United States. DaVita Kidney Care supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.

Contact Information
Media:
Abby Domenico
abby.domenico@davita.com 
(303) 876-7274

SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care