Innovative method to dietary education for individuals undergoing hemodialysis: Immersive virtual reality low-sodium education and grocery shopping

Dietary sodium intake plays a critical role in chronic volume overload (VO) and interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), both of which are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Effective management of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) requires adherence to dietary recommendations; however, the renal diet’s complexity presents significant challenges in patient education, comprehension, and implementation, often resulting in noncompliance. To address this, a virtual reality (VR) educational tool was developed to help individuals on HD in overcoming behavioral barriers that impact sodium intake such as food selection and grocery shopping. This approach enhances nutrition education, focusing on critical components of the renal diet, specifically sodium, due to its impact on IDWG. Through this innovative way of learning, individuals on HD can actively engage with the material while fully immersed in the interactive educational environments. Within these virtual environments, individuals on HD can explore interactive lessons on sodium content, perimeter shopping, and label reading. This program seeks to increase understanding and retention of key dietary concepts, ultimately promoting better compliance with low-sodium dietary recommendations among individuals on HD through this technology-enhanced learning experience.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nutritional Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Pawelczyk, Kaitlyn

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wilund, Kenneth
• Khan, Naiman
• Karduck, Justine

• low-sodium
• hemodialysis
• virtual reality
• educational tool

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Kaitlyn Pawelczyk

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129300

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129300