Abstract
Achieving a healthy weight balance has been a central focus of care for
people who have cystic fibrosis (CF). Over the years, the emphasis has
primarily been on promoting weight gain in order to optimize pulmonary
outcomes. With continued improvements in CF care, including highly
effective CF modulator available for many people, the CF community is
now experiencing a new challenge: addressing the concern that some
people are gaining weight excessively. While at this time, we do not
know to what extent overweight and obesity will affect health outcomes
for people with CF, it is likely that excessive weight gain may have
negative health impacts similar to those seen in the general population.
In this paper, we review the history of nutritional guidelines for
people with CF, as well as more recent trends toward overweight and
obesity for some. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to
collaboratively start the oftentimes difficult conversation regarding
excessive weight gain, and to identify resources to help people achieve
and maintain a healthy weight through diet, exercise, and behavioral
modification.