Dietary modification to reduce kidney stone risk should include reducing which of the following?

• A. Increase calcium intake
• B. Reduce animal protein, salt, oxalate, and total calories
• C. Increase oxalate intake
• D. Increase fluids

Answer: (B)

Reducing dietary factors that drive stone-forming substances in the urine lowers risk. Cutting back on animal protein decreases urinary calcium and uric acid production and tends to raise the urine’s pH, making the environment less favorable for stone crystallization. Lowering sodium intake reduces calcium loss in the urine, directly reducing the amount available to form stones. Limiting oxalate diminishes the amount of oxalate excreted in urine, decreasing the substrate for calcium oxalate stones. Finally, reducing total calories helps with weight management and metabolic factors linked to stone risk, improving overall urine chemistry. While increasing fluids is also protective by diluting urine, the targeted reduction of these four dietary components is the key aim in this approach.