Nutrition and HIV/AIDS

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and nutrition interact in complex ways at multiple levels: biological, clinical, social, and economic. Antiretroviral therapy (ART), although it has dramatically improved survival of HIV/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, itself both affects and is affected by nutrition. The complex interactions among HIV, ART, and nutrition require multifaceted interventions potentially including nutrient or food supplements, food security and livelihood interventions, counseling, appetite stimulants, and exercise programmes in addition to clinical management of infections. Therefore, in addition to health services, nutritional care of people with HIV/AIDS may require agricultural, social welfare, and private sector contributions. This article focuses mainly on nutrition and HIV in Africa where HIV prevalence is highest and where underlying food insecurity and malnutrition are common and severe.