Diabetes in HIV Positive Adults in Botswana: Nutritional and Demographic Characteristics

Objective Botswana is an African country with one of the highest rates of HIV (24.1%) in the general population, in the world. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of diabetics among HIV positive adults in the early stages of the disease who are not on antiretroviral medication. Methods After obtaining informed consent, 610 HIV‐positive asymptomatic patients were recruited for the study. The diagnosis of diabetes was obtained from medical records. Structured clinical, demographic and physical activity questionnaires were administered. Two 24‐hour recalls were averaged for each participant. Results Out of the 610 recruited, 28 (4.6%) were diabetics compared to 7.2% for the general population in Botswana. In those aged 40 years and older, however, the rate of diabetes in this cohort was 10.8%. Compared with non‐diabetics (n=582), diabetics were older (39.3 y vs. 33.3 y, p<0.001), had higher BMI (27 vs. 24 kg/m 2 , p=0.01) and were less physically active (p=0.002). There were no statistical differences in intakes of carbohydrates, fat and total calories between the two groups. Conclusion Asymptomatic HIV infection doesn't seem to affect the prevalence of diabetes in this population. Risk factors for the development of diabetes are similar in this HIV+ cohort to those for the general population. Supported by NIDA