Study finds high pork intake tied to higher kidney stone risk, fish linked to lower risk

A study conducted in China found that heavy consumption of pork is associated with a higher risk of kidney stones, while eating sea fish is linked to a reduced risk. Chinese researchers examined the dietary habits of 830 adults, including 299 patients with kidney stones and 531 healthy individuals, according to the findings. Participants who consumed large amounts of pork were more than three times as likely to develop kidney stones compared with those who ate less, the study showed. Among participants who frequently ate sea fish, the risk dropped by 67 percent. The researchers reported no meaningful link between processed meat consumption and kidney stones. The team noted that the study was observational and does not establish a direct causal relationship, adding that the choice of animal protein source may play a role in preventing kidney stones and warrants further investigation. Russian urologist Prof. Vigen Malkhasyan separately pointed to oxalate-rich foods such as cocoa, black tea, dark chocolate, spinach, chard, parsley, celery, green peppers, beetroot, figs, rhubarb, almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts as potential contributors to kidney stone risk.