Food Intake in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis on an Ordinary Diet

Abstract

The food intake was analysed by means of a 3-day diary in 35 patients with cystic fibrosis, aged 1–65 years. All patients were prescribed an ordinary diet, and all had normal height and weight. The reliability of the method was checked in two patients, who kept diaries twice during a 6-month period. The results were almost identical. Most patients had a satisfactory intake of calories (mean (±SD) 97 ± 23%). Only in five cases was the intake of calories per kg body weight less than that recommended. Protein constituted 11–22 kcal%, the mean protein intake being 178 ± 55% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), most patients having much higher amount per kg body weight than that recommended. The mean fat content of the diet was 37 ± 6 kcal% (range, 24–59). The calcium was in most cases much more than recommended owing to a high milk intake, the mean intake of calcium being 177 ± 72% of RDA (range, 89–350). One additional patient had an extremely unbalanced diet, resulting in a caloric intake of more than 300% of RDA. This was due to supplementation with large amounts of special carbohydrate solutions (doctor's prescription), constituting 78 kcal%. Patients with cystic fibrosis on a free normal diet seem to have a satisfactory caloric intake compared with healthy individuals. The protein intake was too high, similar to what has been found in healthy Swedish children. The implication of this protein load in a disease with kidney and liver involvement has to be considered. Advice to increase the caloric intake above RDA must give special attention to the general composition to avoid extreme imbalance.

Key Words:

• Calcium
• cystic fibrosis
• dietary supplementation
• energy intake
• fat
• food intake
• protein