Nutritional considerations for a new era: A CF foundation position paper

Abstract

Objective: To provide interim advice and considerations to the CF Community around CF nutrition in the current era.

Methods: The Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation organized a multidisciplinary committee to develop a Nutrition Position Paper based on the rapidly changing nutrition landscape in CF, due in part to widespread use of cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator highly effective modulator therapy (HEMT). Four workgroups were formed: Weight Management, Eating Behavior/Food Insecurity, Salt Homeostasis and Pancreatic Enzyme use. Each workgroup conducted their own focused review of the literature.

Results: The committee summarized current understanding of issues pertaining to the four workgroup topics and provided 6 key take-aways around CF Nutrition in the new era.

Conclusion: People with CF (pwCF) are living longer, particularly with the advent of HEMT. The traditional high fat, high calorie CF diet may have negative nutritional and cardiovascular consequences as pwCF age. Individuals with CF may have poor diet quality, food insecurity, distorted body image, and an higher incidence of eating disorders. An increase in overweight and obesity may lead to new considerations for nutritional management, given potential effects of overnutrition on pulmonary and cardiometabolic parameters.

Keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Eating behavior; Food Insecurity; Nutrition; Pancreatic enzymes; Sodium; Weight management.