Prevent underweight in COPD

Acute underweight in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to prevent COPD with a high-calorie diet.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), popularly trivializing „smoker's cough“ called, is a serious and progressive chronic lung disease, which was usually triggered by a high and long-term cigarette consumption. In the advanced stage, those affected are usually exposed to a massive weight loss. In the medical community this follow-up symptom also becomes „COPD wasting“ called. "Due to the chronic narrowing of the airway, COPD patients need about ten times more calories to breathe than healthy patients," explained Prof. Dr. med. Dieter Köhler from the scientific advisory board of the German Society of Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP). To counteract an underweight, a conscious and meaningful diet is necessary.

Eating is also becoming increasingly difficult for COPD patients
The progressive respiratory distress associated with COPD makes it difficult for patients to perform any type of activity. Even the food is increasingly becoming a very stressful affair. Therefore, sufferers should cover their high daily calorie needs with high calorie but healthy foods. "Wanting to eat more in quantity, is hardly feasible if food intake causes problems due to increasing shortness of breath," explains the pulmonary expert. Instead, a diet plan rich in calories should be set up. The advises Dr. Dieter Köhler: "Instead, COPD patients can enrich their nutritional plan with high-calorie drinks such as pure fruit juices or milk-based drinks as well as with small snacks such as an avocado, a cream pudding or nuts."

However, that does not mean that a healthy and balanced diet should be disregarded. In the nutrition plan should find above all meals, which contain many vitamins, minerals and fiber. Counseling centers can help with the preparation of the nutrition plan. For this purpose, the family doctor should be asked where the next advisory body is located. (sb, 15.11.2010)

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