Abstract:
Food and nutrition interventions are critical components of a full response to the HIV / AIDS
pandemic which is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, the region where malnutrition is
already endemic. In recent years clinical care providers, program managers and other
stakeholders increasingly recognize the critical importance of nutrition for the treatment of
HIV and AIDS, but the interventions that link nutritional support to treatment are relatively
new. Tanzania is one of the countries that suffer a huge burden of malnutrition and food
poverty with approximately 2.2 million people living with HIV / AIDS. Despite the ongoing
nutritional interventions provided in care and treatment clinics to people living with
HIV / AIDS, a high proportion of these people still face nutritional problems with almost 29%
of them being underweight. A cross sectional study was therefore conducted in Ilala district,
Dar es Salaam region to determine factors associated with nutritional status among adults
living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) attending care and treatment clinics (CTCs). A total of 412
adult patients attending care and treatment clinics in Ilala district were interviewed in this
study. It was found that 18.4% of PL WHA were underweight basing on their body mass
index; this prevalence was found to be equal to both males and females. However, those who
were at younger age; never married; with no formal education; depended on family/friends for
income and those residing in Kinondoni district were more at risk of being underweight.
Statistical test showed that among the factors that had a significant association with the
nutritional status of people living with HIV / AIDS were the kind of support that one was
getting, living companion, alcohol drinking, duration of ART, and frequency of eating
vegetable with meals. More efforts are required to advice, support and encourage PL WHA
within social context of lives so that the current nutritional care and support services provided
to them could give the best outcomes. Collaborative actions are required to solve this problem
of poor nutrition among PL WHA.
