Nutritional status of HIV-1 seropositive patients in the Free State Province of South Africa: anthropometric and dietary profile.

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional intake and status of HIV-1 seropositive patients, as well as the relationship between malnutrition and disease stage.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Settings: The Immunology Clinic at the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Subjects: Eighty-one HIV/AIDS patients in different stages of disease were recruited consecutively from January to May 1995. Eleven of these patients were followed in 1997.

Main Outcome Measures: Anthropometric data including current weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper-arm circumference, body mass index and bone-free arm muscle area were collected. Nutrient intake was estimated using a diet history in combination with a standardised food frequency questionnaire. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their CD4+ T cell counts.

Results: The men were leaner (BMI = 18.9) than the women (BMI = 22.7) and patients with a CD4+ T cell count < 200 (stage III) tended to have the lowest median values for all anthropometric measurements. More than half the patients had a low intake (< 67% of the recommended dietary allowances) of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin A, calcium, iron and zinc.

Conclusions: The results confirms that HIV/AIDS patients from this population are malnourished. There was, however, no association between disease stage and nutritional status. Nutritional supplementation of HIV/AIDS patients should be considered, as this might lead to improved immune function in these patients.