The history of the ISRNM

The 4th International Congress was held at the College of William and Mary in colonial Williamsburg, VA, USA from 10-13 October in1985. The international committee chaired by Joel D. Kopple and the local organizing committee, chaired by James F. Winchester, ensured that the scientific and the social program was outstanding for all delegates including dietitians. It was noted that “the field of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism was one of the most exciting and rapidly growing fields in all of nephrology. Among the most promising advances were the number of nutrients that may each affect renal glomerular physiology and biochemistry, in health and in disease. Treatment strategies that involved the modification of dietary nutrient intake were being assessed for their effects on renal biochemistry, hemodynamics and pathophysiology and on the course of progression of renal disease. There was also evidence that a number of nutrients and nutritional disorders influenced the risk of hypertension and the ability to treat hypertension successfully. The Introduction of the Proceedings of this Congress include the following statement: “The purpose of these meetings in future is to evaluate, in renal disease and in renal failure, the biochemistry and metabolism of proteins, aminoacids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals, the nutritional assessment of patients, the causes of nutritional abnormalities and the treatment of nutritional disorders, including the use of diet to prevent or retard progression of renal failure “ (4). A barbeque was held at the historical Berkeley Plantation (town of “A Hundred (families) and Plantations”, dating back to 1619 and was the place of the 1st Thanksgiving Day Celebration).An afternoon in Colonial Williamsburg and the Gala Dinner at the Trellis Restaurant were included in the social program for delegates and guests.