Dietary Behaviors of Patients with HIV/AIDS

Background: HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the virus that causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is the most advanced stage of the HIV infection. While many viruses can be controlled by the immune system, HIV targets and infects the immune system cells that are supposed to provide protection against illnesses. The relation between nutrition and infection has been known since the early 1900s. Nutrition is known to influence immune function directly via processes such as protein synthesis or indirectly via their role in various enzyme syntheses and functions. The relationship between HIV/AIDS and nutrition has been observed to be more complicated than that between nutrition and other infectious diseases, because the virus directly attacks and destroys the cells of the immune system.;Purpose: the purpose of the study was to investigate dietary behaviors of subjects with HIV/AIDS.;Methods: The research design used in the study was the cross-sectional descriptive survey. Data were collected from 100 subjects with HIV/AIDS. These data included height and weight, dietary practices, receipt of dietary consultation, type of treatment, etc. In addition, subjects were asked to complete the following instruments: a Food Intake Record, a Nutrition Assessment Tool, the Quick Nutrition Screen, and the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to compile the data. Relationships of body mass index to dietary intakes and symptoms were investigated using chi-square tests.;Conclusions: Most subjects consumed protein foods, fruits and vegetables, and grain products. Only one-third consumed dairy products. Dietary intakes and symptoms were not significantly related to BMI status. More than half of the subjects were overweight or obese. Patients who ate less than three times a day were significantly less likely to be overweight or obese.;Recommendations: It is important for further research to focus on more details on the dietary intakes of African American HIV/AIDS patients. Future studies should include larger sample sizes, and a larger representation of underweight subjects new to treatment.