The Changing CF Diet

Your child’s diet is a very important part of the management of CF. A well-rounded diet including a variety of foods from all food groups is recommended for all children with CF. Good nutrition helps the body fight infections and maintain strength.

Historically, children with CF required a high fat, high calorie, high salt diet to compensate for malabsorption and increased energy needs. With recent advancement of treatment options, this is no longer the standard recommendation for all children.

New recommendations are moving towards an individual approach that encourages a balanced nutrient-dense diet to support long-term health. This modern approach is in line with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, and includes:

Fruit and vegetables
Whole grains and legumes
Lean proteins, dairy and alternatives
Being mindful of foods high in sugar and fat

A balanced diet can help children with CF:

Fight and recover quicker from infections
Grow and develop appropriately
Support lung function
Have more energy for everyday activities

Fibre

Fibre is an important part of healthy eating. It helps form and move stools through the digestive tract, reducing the risk of constipation and bowel blockages. It also provides food for the good bacteria that live in our intestines.

Children with CF should generally aim for age-appropriate fibre recommendations for all children. Foods high in fibre should form part of your child’s daily diet, such as fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, nuts, beans, lentils, brown rice, whole wheat & grains.

Fats

Fat remains an important part of children’s diets, providing energy and helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. To support long term health, most dietary fat should be offered through good fat sources known as unsaturated fats. These can be found in foods such as avocado, nuts and nut butters, seeds, olive and canola oil and oily fish.

Saturated and trans fats come from fatty and processed meats, pastries, cakes, biscuits and some takeaway foods. These foods can be included in small amounts as part of a balanced diet, rather than being used routinely as a way to increase calories.

Your child’s individual energy and fat needs may vary depending on their growth, pancreatic function, treatments and overall health, and should be guided by their CF dietitian.

Protein

Protein is important for growth, development and maintaining healthy muscles. Children with CF should eat a variety of lean, minimally processed sources of protein throughout the day, such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy foods, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and nut butters.

Children who are growing well may not need additional protein simply because they have CF. Individual requirements should be discussed with your child’s dietitian.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide an important source of energy for growing and active children. Aim to provide most carbohydrates from nutritious foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals, oats, rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables, legumes, milk and yoghurt.

Try to limit foods and drinks that are high in added sugar and provide little nutritional value, such as soft drinks, lollies, cakes/biscuits and other highly processed foods. These can cause a rapid rise in blood glucose and, when eaten regularly, can make it harder to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Developing healthy eating habits from an early age can support good nutrition, healthy growth and long-term metabolic health.

Navigating Nutritional Changes

Adjusting to changes in appetite and nutritional recommendations can be a significant shift for many families. After years of relying on specific foods to meet energy needs and support health, it’s understandable that a change in recommended foot types can be challenging. Both parents and children may find it difficult to adjust to a different nutritional approach after years of reinforcing high energy intake. If your family needs support with this, be sure to talk to the PCH dietitian at clinic.

There may also be new, unexpected side effects from a different diet like bloating or abdominal discomfort that need to be considered and discussed with your CF team.

High Energy Diet

Children with increased needs, such as those who are experiencing poor growth or recurrent illnesses, may be encouraged to follow a higher energy diet at certain times. This is usually recommended when their body needs extra energy to grow, recover, or fight infection.

However, this is individualised and should be discussed with and monitored by your child’s dietitian.

If your child requires a high energy, high protein diet, more information can be found here.