Nutrition and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual - Linkages Project

Consider the phase of the HIV infection (slides 14, 15)Recommendations for nutritional care vary depending on the underlying nutritionalstatus of the person and the extent of HIV disease progression. Nutritionrecommendations should consider disease stage and body composition. Diseaseprogression can be categorized into three main phases:• In the early phase the person has no symptoms and a stable weight• In the middle phase the person experiences significant, unintentional, orundesirable weight loss as a result of opportunistic infections• The late or symptomatic phase leads to full-blown AIDSNutrition priorities vary according to individual symptoms and energy and nutrientneeds, which depend on the stage of disease (Lwanga 2001).During the early phase the main objective is to stay healthy by building stores ofessential nutrients, maintaining weight, preserving lean body mass, andunderstanding and following food safety guidelines through proper nutritioneducation and counseling.During the middle phase a person who has or has had an acute infectionaccompanied by weight loss should primarily minimize consequences by:• Maintaining food intake during an infection• Increasing energy nutrient intake and meeting requirements for proteins, iron,and vitamins A, B, C, and E for recovery (this should be done with care) andweight gain• Continuing as much physical activity as possible to preserve lean body massAs the disease progresses to AIDS in the late phase, the main objective is to providecomfort or palliative care. This care includes treating opportunistic infections,modifying the diet according to symptoms, and encouraging eating.47