Specialty Foods for Children with Cystic Fibrosis

This review evaluates the effects of specialized food diets for children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Children with CF have special dietary needs that can be met by adding specialty foods. Some dietary needs that children with cystic fibrosis encounter include the need for more calories to balance the extra energy it takes to breathe. Another dietary need is extra vitamins and antioxidants to help fight off lung infections. The effects on the dietary needs of children with CF are also described in detail. Issues associated with diet leading to growth and daily function, like CF-related diabetes, are important factors affecting novel food diets. The benefits and risks of specialty foods and specific diets are reviewed. For example, the benefits of blueberries include their antioxidant components and low sugar content. However, the risk of eating too many blueberries is that the low sugar content can be dangerous for children with diabetes. Also, the results of clinical studies are discussed in terms of specific foods that pertain to the diets of children with CF. A table documents the specialty foods and diets, as well as a brief outline of the benefits and risks of each food and diet. For example, carrot juice is included in the table, noting the high amount of bioaccessible provitamin A as a benefit, and the high sugar content as a risk. Another example included in the table is avocado, which has the benefits of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and potassium. The risks involved with eating avocado is that it is high in protein, so it may require an extra dose of pancreatic enzyme to assist in digestion.