Energy Intake and HIV Disease Progression in Asymptomatic ARV‐Naive HIV+ Adults in Botswana

Objective Adequate nutrition is needed for optimal immune response. We examined the relationship of energy intake to disease progression in asymptomatic HIV+ adults in Botswana. Methods After obtaining informed consent from 806 HIV+ adults, data on demographic and nutritional status were collected. Blood was drawn for CD4 cell count and viral load. 24‐hour dietary intakes were analyzed with the NutraBase Nutrition 7 program. Results Of 806 participants, 26.2% (N=211) were male. Their mean age was 34±8.1 years, mean BMI was 24.45±5.0 kg/m 2 , CD4 cell count 462.5±181 cells/μl, and viral load 4.1±0.89 log 10 copies/mL. Increasing energy intake by 1000 kcal significantly predicts an increase of 20 CD4 cells (p=0.044) and a decrease of viral load by 0.14 log 10 copies/mL (p=0.0089) after adjusting for age and gender using the Generalized Linear Model. Participants with adequate protein intake (≥46g for women and ≥56g for men), had significantly higher mean BMI (24.7±4.9) compared to those with inadequate intake (23.5±5.1, p=0.038). Conclusions Overall calorie intake significantly predicted the indices of disease progression in an adult asymptomatic, ARV‐naïve HIV+ cohort in Botswana. Further research investigating the effect of dietary support on attenuating HIV disease progression is needed. Support Funded by NIDA