A Comprehensive Guide to Nutritional Strategies for Cystic Fibrosis
Introduction
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects various organ systems, with the most significant impact on the lungs and digestive system. It is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. This essay aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional strategies for CF, focusing on the benefits of a better diet and providing specific suggestions.
Nutritional Basics for Cystic Fibrosis
Individuals with CF require more energy to breathe normally, fight lung infections, and compensate for poor digestion. For these reasons, they need more calories than people without CF. A high-calorie, high-protein, high-fat diet is recommended for most people with CF.
Avocados and nuts are excellent sources of healthy fat and protein that can benefit a CF patient.
Nutritional Supplements
High-calorie supplements can be used to boost calories, but they shouldn’t be used to replace meals. Instead, nutritional supplements should be taken along with a meal or as a substitute for a lower-calorie snack. Nutritional supplements come in a variety of forms.
Monitoring Food Intake
Strategies that your CF team may recommend include monitoring food intake, using praise and rewards, maintaining a regular meal schedule, and limiting how long meal times last.
Benefits of a Better Diet
A healthy diet for CF addresses the primary challenge of the disease—to provide ample macronutrients (such as fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) for normal weight maintenance, growth, and development. The benefits of eating a CF diet include improvement in energy level, a boost to the immune system, adequate weight maintenance, adequate growth and development (in kids and teenagers), and ample availability of pancreatic enzymes for normal nutrient metabolism.
Read More: Challenges in Innovations for CF
In a study published in the American Journal of Diseases in Children, participants—ranging in age from 2 to 27— who ate a non-restricted fat diet, for a period of four years, were found to significantly increase the average energy intake to over 120%, gain a considerable amount of weight, experience stabilization of pulmonary (lung) function, and maintain established weight and height scores during adolescence.
Conclusion
Nutrient intake is important for people with CF since malnutrition is often associated with the disease. The general recommendation is to consume a higher-calorie diet that focuses on fat and protein. Supplementation can also be helpful.
References
3: The Changing Landscape in Nutrition
4: Nutrition and Growth With Cystic Fibrosis
6: Cystic Fibrosis and Nutrition: Healthy High-Calorie Eating
