Abstract

EDITORIALS 739 Nutrition in COPD people for whom trying to eat less and ................................................................................... avoiding calorie-dense foods is the norm. The dietary advice for weight stable COPD patients is generally to eat a healthy diet, which is usually interpreted as a diet according to general dietary recommendations—that is, low in fat, E F M Wouters high in fibre, containing complex carbo- ................................................................................... hydrates and including large quantities of fruit and vegetables. Behaviour Nutrition and energy supply are important components of changes away from a habitual pattern rehabilitation programmes for patients with COPD. and in a direction opposite to the social norm are difficult to establish. It is mprovement in functional perform- is not desirable as maintaining an active therefore very important that caregivers ance is considered an important man- lifestyle is one of the management and heath professionals provide a con- agement goal in patients with chronic objectives in patients with COPD. This I sistent message on diet and nutrition obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). implies that patients with COPD who and that they increase social support, pay Pulmonary rehabilitation is now consid- suffer from weight loss—and even some attention to the patient’s nutritional sta- ered as an evidence based