Eating well when you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
What effect does COPD have on eating?
COPD may make eating more difficult, especially if you:
- Are depressed, which often results in less interest in food.
- Have little energy, which can make it difficult to prepare and eat meals.
- Are taking medications that reduce appetite.
- Find that shortness of breath makes it difficult to eat.
- Find that eating makes it harder to breathe. A full stomach may push up and interfere with the large sheet of muscle in the chest (diaphragm), making breathing more difficult. Holding your breath while chewing or swallowing may be uncomfortable if you are already short of breath.
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| Author: | Lila Havens Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: June 16, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Ken Y. Yoneda, MD - Pulmonology | |
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