You are viewing : Vol. 5, Issue 3 Oct - Dec, 2008

Nutrition is a key partner to Aantiretroviral therapy.

Allan Tindikahwa

A balanced diet (a diet containing optimal amounts of all necessary food nutrients) is as essential to people living with HIV and AIDS as is Antiretroviral therapy. It is so important that it is generally considered a ‘co-therapy’ to Antiretroviral drugs. There are many reasons for this, one being that it strengthens the immune system, enabling it fight the virus better. A well-fed body will resist the wasting and weight loss that is usually associated with HIV, and will process medication better. A good diet will also help lessen the symptoms of HIV such as nausea, diarrhea and fatigue. But what exactly is a balanced diet in this context?

An HIV-positive person should increase the amount of carbohydrates (energy-giving foods) they take. This is because studies point to low energy intake combined with increased energy demands due to HIV infection and related infections as the major driving forces behind HIV-related weight loss and wasting. Increased energy intake of about 20% to 30% is recommended for adults during periods of symptomatic disease or opportunistic infection to maintain body weight and to combat poor absorption in the intestinal tract, if any. Examples of foods rich in carbohydrates include cassava, millet, posho, rice, and sweet potatoes, among others.There isn’t convincing evidence that HIV infected people need increased amounts of fat and protein above and over the non-HIV infected person. The WHO recommends the same food amounts of protein and fats for HIV infected adults as for the general population. Examples of foods rich in protein and fat include meat, fish, chicken, beans, soya beans and groundnuts, among others.Vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients because they are needed in very small amounts.

They cannot adequately be made by the body and must be obtained from diet and/or supplements, especially from raw fruits and vegetables. Vitamins and minerals do not provide energy but perform vital functions that regulate the many activities and chemical reactions that take place inside the body. Without adequate intake of these micronutrients, symptoms of a deficiency can develop. If not treated, some deficiencies can cause sickness and death. On the other hand, do not take them in too large amounts, as excess may be harmful to your health. Recommended intake levels have been developed for each vitamin and mineral to give guidance as to how much should be taken every day to prevent deficiency. A person with HIV might be deficient in a micronutrient for any number of reasons: side effects make it hard to eat, nutrients from food are not absorbed, or the body needs more nutrients to fight the virus. Several studies have shown that people with HIV are at increased risk of developing micronutrient deficiencies. In turn, these deficiencies can increase the rate of HIV disease progression to AIDS and can increase the risk of dying.

For this reason it is believed that the micronutrient requirements for people with HIV are higher than those for the general population.It should however be noted that any changes in diet need to be discussed with your doctor and other members of your healthcare team. This way, you will be in a position to make well-informed choices that actually benefit you, rather than arbitrary ones.