Nutrition and AIDS in the Caribbean: Looking beyond survival

Abstract

This study randomly selected HIV positive patients attending the largest hospital in Jamaica and analyzed their health, nutritional and socio-demographic profiles. Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy was good overall and patients reported to have good appetite and most consumed at least 1-2 meals daily with snacks despite financial challenges. The nutritional status findings largely mirrored the trends in the general population towards increasingly overweight and obesity. The results also showed low rates of weight loss and under-nutrition but relatively high rates of non-communicable diseases. The contrasting recommendations on energy intake for persons living with AIDS and those obese create a potential nutritional dilemma for treatment and rehabilitation. This study concludes that priority attention must be directed towards designing a comprehensive nutrition program for AIDS survivors in the Caribbean.