“Behavioral Intervention Based on the Transtheoretical Model Aimed at Reducing Dietary Exposure to Micro- and Nanoplastics in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease”
SOCIETY
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS: 27 PRACTICES
TOPIC:
Initiative
SUBMITTED FROM:
Objective Action
The initiative aims to develop and implement an innovative, scientifically grounded behavioral intervention for patients with chronic kidney disease, with the goal of reducing dietary exposure to micro- and nanoplastics through sustainable and safer dietary choices. Based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, the intervention seeks to enhance patients’ knowledge, environmental awareness, and self-efficacy, while promoting responsible consumption practices that contribute both to the protection of human health and to the reduction of the environmental footprint associated with plastic use in food consumption.
By integrating environmental health, clinical nutrition, and nursing care, the initiative aspires to establish a model of sustainable intervention for vulnerable patient groups, incorporating the principles of prevention, circular thinking, and sustainable development into contemporary nephrology care.
Target Audience
The initiative is primarily addressed to patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, a particularly vulnerable population group with increased needs for dietary care and protection from environmental risk factors.
At the same time, it targets healthcare professionals, such as nurses, nephrologists, and dietitians, supporting the integration of environmental health and sustainable nutrition practices into clinical care. In addition, the initiative concerns public health bodies, scientific communities, and organizations active in the fields of sustainability, prevention, and environmental awareness, aiming to promote innovative interventions that connect human health with sustainable development.
Duration
November 2025-November 2028. The initiative is implemented within the framework of postdoctoral research and includes stages of design, implementation of the intervention, data collection and evaluation of results.
Description
The initiative was designed in response to the need to connect environmental sustainability with the care of vulnerable patients, particularly individuals with chronic kidney disease. It is based on the scientific assumption that dietary exposure to micro- and nanoplastics constitutes an emerging environmental and public health risk, especially for populations with impaired renal function.
The implementation of the initiative includes the development and application of a specialized behavioral intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM), incorporating educational sessions, personalized guidance, supportive printed and digital material, as well as systematic follow-up of participants. The intervention is tailored to each patient’s stage of readiness for behavioral change, aiming to enhance knowledge, self-efficacy, and the gradual adoption of sustainable dietary practices.
The innovative features of the initiative include:
• Linking environmental health with nephrology and nursing care in a field that remains underexplored internationally.
• Focusing on reducing exposure to micro- and nanoplastics through everyday dietary choices and changes in consumer habits.
• Utilizing the Transtheoretical Model as a tool for sustainable behavioral change in a clinical population.
• Integrating principles of prevention, environmental awareness, and sustainable development into clinical practice.
• Creating a pilot intervention model that could be adapted in the future for other vulnerable population groups and healthcare settings.
The initiative seeks to demonstrate that sustainability is not limited to environmental protection alone, but also involves shaping a new model of holistic healthcare, where the protection of human health is directly linked to the protection of the environment.
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Impact on Society
Although the postdoctoral research is currently in progress, the initiative is expected to generate significant benefits both at the individual behavioral level and in the broader context of environmental and public health. The action aims to improve the knowledge and awareness of patients with chronic kidney disease regarding dietary sources of exposure to micro- and nanoplastics, while also enhancing their ability to adopt safer and more sustainable dietary practices.
Expected outcomes of the intervention include:
• Increased levels of awareness and environmental sensitivity among participants regarding micro- and nanoplastics.
• Improved perceived self-efficacy and willingness to change behavior, according to the stages of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change.
• Reduced consumption of foods and products with a high likelihood of contamination by micro- and nanoplastics, such as bottled water, packaged foods, and ultra-processed products.
• Promotion of sustainable daily dietary and food storage practices through the reduction of plastic material use.
• Development of a pilot intervention model that may be implemented in the future in hospital units, dialysis centers, and health education programs.
The evaluation of the initiative will be carried out through quantitative indicators and standardized assessment tools, including the recording of dietary habit changes, the assessment of participants’ progression through the stages of behavioral change, and the measurement of improvements in knowledge and attitudes before and after the intervention. In parallel, the feasibility of monitoring biological indicators of exposure to micro- and nanoplastics will also be explored, strengthening the future scientific evidence base of the initiative.
Initiative Location
ATTIKON University General Hospital, Clinical and Interventional Nephrology Unit, 2nd Preparatory Pathology Clinic, NKUA
Working with Organization
University General Hospital “ATTIKON”
Workers Participation
The study will be conducted by the researcher herself.
Benefits for Οrganization
This postdoctoral research initiative contributes to the promotion of sustainable and holistic healthcare by linking environmental health with clinical nutrition and nephrology care. At the same time, it promotes the development of innovative prevention and behavioral intervention practices for vulnerable patient groups, enhancing environmental awareness and encouraging the adoption of safer dietary habits.
The initiative is expected to contribute to the generation of new scientific knowledge and to the development of a model intervention framework that may be utilized in the future in healthcare settings and health education programs.
Connection with Global Goals
