Dietary and nutritional needs vary depending on age, weight, height, symptoms, lung function and activity level. Cystic fibrosis dietitians are part of any CF hospital team and can advise you on a person`s needs. CF often causes a condition called pancreatic insufficiency. This means that enzymes made in the pancreas that digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins don`t get into the intestines as they should. Thus, the body cannot digest food normally. In some cases, adolescents with CF may have little energy or difficulty gaining weight, even with proper nutrition and supplements. For these teens, doctors may recommend that they get extra nutrients through a tube inserted into the stomach (called tube feeding). Tube feeding, which most people do during the night, provides about 1,000 to 2,000 calories. These overnight meals leave teens with cystic fibrosis free to enjoy normal meals and activities during the day.
Deciding to get a feeding tube can be difficult, but many teens and families express relief afterwards. Tube feeding can help teens gain weight while relieving stress and conflict related to food and diet. Having a tube inserted for feeding is usually a simple procedure that does not require extensive surgery or prolonged hospitalization. In the past, a healthy diet for a person with cystic fibrosis was high in calories, high in fat, and high in salt. But new therapies facilitate weight gain and prolong life expectancy. The goal of a healthy diet is therefore changing. It`s becoming increasingly important to consider how diet can make you feel healthy as you get older. A healthy diet can help prevent other conditions, such as heart disease or cancer, while improving your quality of life. In addition to high-calorie meals, it`s a good idea for men and girls with CF to take energy-rich snacks with them. Try trail mixing, nuts, cheese cracker bags or peanut butter crackers, and vegetables like carrots or celery with small containers of dressing that don`t need to be refrigerated. A person with pancreatic insufficiency should take the prescribed enzymes with meals and snacks to help digest food properly so that they receive the nutrition necessary for growth and development. A doctor with CF will work with a nutritionist to prescribe enzymes based on weight, growth, and how much the person with CF eats at a time.
Enzymes should be taken at every meal and at most snacks. They should not be chewed or crushed, and the dose should only be adjusted by the dietitian or doctor. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a searchable database of RDN. Enter your postal code to find a list of RDNs in your area. At lunch, Lindsay is often bored when she has the same old conversation with her friends: calories. Some children with cystic fibrosis need extra calories to become healthy and strong. The extra calories a child receives should come from a healthy and balanced diet. In general, teens with cystic fibrosis need more calories per day than others in their age group, or about 2,900 to 4,500 calories per day, depending on the person. What are all these calories for? Like any other teenager, girls and men with cystic fibrosis need calories to stimulate their growth during puberty. You just need more of them.
Every person with CF has different nutritional needs. Adolescents with CF and their parents can work with an cf dietitian to best meet their needs based on growth and weight gain, physical activity and overall health. Spend some time thinking about what your weight gain goal should be. Talk to the nutritionist on your CF care team about what you want to achieve. Together, you can determine the best way to achieve your BMI goal. People with pancreatic insufficiency may have problems with growth and weight gain, and they may also have frequent and smelly bowel movements. Sometimes enzymes and high-calorie meals aren`t enough to help a child with cystic fibrosis thrive. It is not always physically possible for children to get what they need through a high-calorie diet. Here are some common ways to get extra calories from fat: Like everyone else, men and girls with CF should have a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. In addition, people with CF have specific nutritional needs that help them stay healthy. Here are some of the nutrients they need to get more: Some people with CF might find it helpful to keep track of calories.
Others find counting calories stressful and prefer to focus on eating frequently and often adding calorie boosters (butter, cream, etc.). Dietary supplements come in various forms. You can get flavored powders that you can mix with milk, ready-made milk-based shakes, and juices high in calories and protein. You can also get individual powders of fats, carbohydrates or proteins that you can mix into drinks. Talk to your CF nutritionist about the right choice for you. Cystic fibrosis causes a buildup of mucus that blocks the ducts in the pancreas and means that digestive juices containing enzymes do not reach the stomach and therefore the food is not broken down properly. This pancreatic insufficiency affects about 90% of people with cystic fibrosis to varying degrees and is treated with digestive enzyme replacement. Most people with cystic fibrosis or CF are diagnosed at the age of two. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes mucus to build up in the lungs and around the pancreas.
A buildup of mucus in the lungs can cause breathing problems. Lung infections are common in people with CF. In the digestive tract, the accumulation of mucus affects digestion, which can lead to malnutrition. Mucus affects a person`s ability to absorb nutrients from food, especially fats and fat-soluble vitamins. The energy needs of people with CF are estimated to be 1 1/2 to 2 times the needs of people without CF. A high-calorie, high-fat diet, with 40% of total calories coming from fat, is generally recommended.1. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the body`s epithelial cells. These cells are found in many places, including the sweat glands, lungs, and pancreas.
In addition to proper nutrition, exercise can help improve lung health, mood, and quality of life. Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist on your CF team about the right type of exercise for you. The amount of fluid you need depends on your age, weight, activity level, overall health, and climate. Don`t wait until you`re thirsty for water. If your brain tells you to drink, you may already be dehydrated. RDNs calculate calories based on a person`s age, gender, activity level, and health status. In children, growth needs are also important considerations. For children and adults with CF, calorie requirements may be 10 to 100 percent higher than in a similar person without CF. To get enough calories, people with CF may need to eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks or focus on foods that add a lot of calories in small amounts, such as whole dairy products and healthy fat sources. Remember that these extra calories should be part of a balanced diet. A 2012 study showed an over-reliance on saturated fat intake in people with CF and a low intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids.2 Since people with CF live longer, this imbalance increases the risk of heart disease.
Be sure to incorporate unsaturated fats from foods such as avocados, nuts, and oils. Walnut and flaxseed oils are a good choice because they contain fats that reduce inflammation. It is not always easy to meet the unique nutritional needs of a child with CF. Work with your team to set nutritional goals that your child can achieve. Many emotions are associated with a child`s diet. Working with the psychologist on your CF care team can help you manage stress. It can be difficult for teens with CF to eat enough in a day to meet their needs, especially if they`re not feeling well. Although many people think they would like to eat what they want, many people with CF have a hard time doing so.
1 Quick, Virginia, Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol. Eating disorders and body image in cystic fibrosis. In: Diet und Bewegung bei Mukoviszidose. San Diego, CA: Academic Press; 2015: 11-12.2 Smith, C, Winn, A., Seddon, P., Ranganathan. Fat a lot of good: balance and trends in fat intake in children with cystic fibrosis. J Cystic Fibr. 2012 Mar;11(2):154-157. In addition to drinks, many foods contain a lot of water. “Yes, I would give anything so I could eat as much as you and be so thin!” Because a person with CF may not be able to get all the vitamins and minerals they need, they may need a supplement in a CF-specific formulation.