A good nutritional status is when the body has enough of the right kind of food to functional properly for growth, repair and the maintenance of health.
People with AIDS have poor nutritional status because their body has a need for food, yet there is poor food intake on their part due to antiretroviral drugs which are usually associated with side effect that does reduce intake of food. When our bodies do not get enough food, or the right foods, we do become weak and cannot develop the right way. People with HIV have higher than normal energy needs. So a healthy diet is especially important if you are infected with HIV. Food does improve fitness and quality of life. Eating food that is balance does help to maintain the body weight, muscles and improve the performance of our immune system.
People without symptoms of HIV or opportunistic infections need 10% more calories. People with signs of other infections need 20-30% more calories. Those who have symptoms and have lost weight need 50-100% extra calories. The protein requirement is 12-15% of energy intake as for non-infected people. So the increased need is similar to that for energy. I’m not sure if HIV increases needs for nutrients. But many people with HIV have nutrient deficiencies and may even need supplements. A multi-nutrient supplement containing 100% of the daily need of all nutrients is usually helpful.
People living with HIV have weakened immune systems and so are more likely to catch infections. Infections reduce appetite but, when you are sick you need more nutrients to fight the infection, certain medications may change the tastes of foods and reduce appetite. Symptoms such as mouth sores, nausea and vomiting make it difficult to eat. Symptoms such as diarrhea reduce the absorption of food, depression, worry and tiredness reduce appetite and willingness to prepare food and eat regularly, HIV infection may lead to increased poverty and decreased access to food. People with HIV who are malnourished are sick more often and can develop AIDS and die earlier than people with HIV who are well nourished. It is very difficult to reverse malnutrition so people with HIV/AIDS need to prevent malnutrition. Rashes and itchy skin may be related to a poor diet and malnutrition. Many people with HIV are also infected with tuberculosis (TB). People with TB often lose weight. They need a healthy and balanced diet to improve their health, regain weight and replenish nutrient stores. TB patients who eat well have fewer side effects from the TB drugs and recover faster. Adjusting the diet can relieve some of the side effects of TB and TB drugs. To avoid vomiting it is advisable to eat a proper meal and it is advised that you wait half an hour before you take any drugs.
It cannot be said enough about the importance of HIV/AIDS infected individuals to eat. This is one time that overeating could be recommended. One advisement for people living with AIDS is to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day is because of HIV wasting syndrome. Hand washing is very important to protect you against infections that can be carried by Food and Water. So wash your hands before preparing food and keep all your kitchen utensils and work area clean. Wash all fruits and vegetables carefully. Do not eat raw and uncooked eggs or meat and clean up juices from raw meat quickly.
Keep leftovers refrigerated and eat them within three days. Check the expiration date on foods. Don’t buy them or eat them if they are outdated. Some germs are spread through tap water. If your Public water supply isn’t totally pure, drink boiled water.
HIV infected children can and do survive to adulthood. It is more difficult to achieve this though in many African countries whose populations have to live below the equivalent of $US 2 a day and where women and children infected with HIV are likely to be living in deep poverty. It is crucial that good nutrition is promoted most of all in these resource- poor settings.
The role of nutrition education as HIV infection develops
References
1. AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA) (www.criany.org)
2. Centre for Disease Control National Prevention Information Network (CDCNPIN) (www.cdcnpin.org)
3. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) (www.unaids.org)WHO. Nutrient requirements of people living with HIV/AIDS. Report of a technical consultation May 2003. www.who.int
4. Rollins, N. (October 2007), “Food Insecurity—A Risk Factor for HIV Infection”, PLoS Medicine 4(10)
People with AIDS have poor nutritional status because their body has a need for food, yet there is poor food intake on their part due to antiretroviral drugs which are usually associated with side effect that does reduce intake of food. When our bodies do not get enough food, or the right foods, we do become weak and cannot develop the right way. People with HIV have higher than normal energy needs. So a healthy diet is especially important if you are infected with HIV. Food does improve fitness and quality of life. Eating food that is balance does help to maintain the body weight, muscles and improve the performance of our immune system.
People without symptoms of HIV or opportunistic infections need 10% more calories. People with signs of other infections need 20-30% more calories. Those who have symptoms and have lost weight need 50-100% extra calories. The protein requirement is 12-15% of energy intake as for non-infected people. So the increased need is similar to that for energy. I’m not sure if HIV increases needs for nutrients. But many people with HIV have nutrient deficiencies and may even need supplements. A multi-nutrient supplement containing 100% of the daily need of all nutrients is usually helpful.
People living with HIV have weakened immune systems and so are more likely to catch infections. Infections reduce appetite but, when you are sick you need more nutrients to fight the infection, certain medications may change the tastes of foods and reduce appetite. Symptoms such as mouth sores, nausea and vomiting make it difficult to eat. Symptoms such as diarrhea reduce the absorption of food, depression, worry and tiredness reduce appetite and willingness to prepare food and eat regularly, HIV infection may lead to increased poverty and decreased access to food. People with HIV who are malnourished are sick more often and can develop AIDS and die earlier than people with HIV who are well nourished. It is very difficult to reverse malnutrition so people with HIV/AIDS need to prevent malnutrition. Rashes and itchy skin may be related to a poor diet and malnutrition. Many people with HIV are also infected with tuberculosis (TB). People with TB often lose weight. They need a healthy and balanced diet to improve their health, regain weight and replenish nutrient stores. TB patients who eat well have fewer side effects from the TB drugs and recover faster. Adjusting the diet can relieve some of the side effects of TB and TB drugs. To avoid vomiting it is advisable to eat a proper meal and it is advised that you wait half an hour before you take any drugs.
It cannot be said enough about the importance of HIV/AIDS infected individuals to eat. This is one time that overeating could be recommended. One advisement for people living with AIDS is to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day is because of HIV wasting syndrome. Hand washing is very important to protect you against infections that can be carried by Food and Water. So wash your hands before preparing food and keep all your kitchen utensils and work area clean. Wash all fruits and vegetables carefully. Do not eat raw and uncooked eggs or meat and clean up juices from raw meat quickly.
Keep leftovers refrigerated and eat them within three days. Check the expiration date on foods. Don’t buy them or eat them if they are outdated. Some germs are spread through tap water. If your Public water supply isn’t totally pure, drink boiled water.
HIV infected children can and do survive to adulthood. It is more difficult to achieve this though in many African countries whose populations have to live below the equivalent of $US 2 a day and where women and children infected with HIV are likely to be living in deep poverty. It is crucial that good nutrition is promoted most of all in these resource- poor settings.
The role of nutrition education as HIV infection develops
References
1. AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA) (www.criany.org)
2. Centre for Disease Control National Prevention Information Network (CDCNPIN) (www.cdcnpin.org)
3. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) (www.unaids.org)WHO. Nutrient requirements of people living with HIV/AIDS. Report of a technical consultation May 2003. www.who.int
4. Rollins, N. (October 2007), “Food Insecurity—A Risk Factor for HIV Infection”, PLoS Medicine 4(10)
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