Effects of Exercise on Nutritional Status in People with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review

Physical exercise is an important part of regular care for people with cystic fibrosis (CF). It is unknown whether such exercise has beneficial or detrimental effects on nutritional status (body composition). Thus, the objective of this review was to evaluate the effect of exercise on measures of nutritional status in children and adults with CF.

Standardized reporting guidelines for systematic reviews were followed and the protocol was prospectively registered. Multiple databases were utilized (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, and CINHAL). Two reviewers independently reviewed titles/abstracts and then the full text for selected studies.

In total, 924 articles were originally identified; data were extracted from 4 eligible studies. These four studies included only children; pulmonary function ranged from severe to normal, and the majority of participants were at or below their recommended weight. Exercise training did not worsen nutritional status in any study; two studies that included resistance exercise reported an increase in fat-free mass. Three of the four studies also reported increased aerobic capacity and/or muscle strength.

Exercise training can produce positive physiologic changes in children with CF without impairing their nutritional status. In fact, resistance exercise can help improve body mass. Much less is known about how exercise may affect adults or those who are overweight.