Dietary evaluation of outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Protein-calorie malnutrition is prevalent among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and suboptimal body weight has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary function, anthropometric measurements, and dietary intake were evaluated in 64 outpatients with stable COPD to assess interrelationships of those parameters. Those individuals with body weights less than 75% of standard for height, age, and sex had the greatest degree of airway obstruction, poorest lung diffusing capacity, and greatest loss of body fat and muscle mass. Contrary to what had been anticipated, calorie and protein intake levels were highest in the less than 75% of standard body weight group, decreased as relative body weight increased, and were lowest in the greater than 105% of standard body weight group. Those results indicate that caloric needs increase as COPD progresses. Intake levels of calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C were adequate in terms of the RDAs and were not related to relative body weight.