Question

HIV/AIDS

a. Explain why food safety precautions are important for AIDS patients, and list at least five specific precautions related to purchasing, preparing, or storing foods

b. What are some of the wasting effects of HIV on nutritional status?

c. What are some of the gastro-intestinal side effects of antiretroviral therapy?

d. What is the key objective of medical nutrition therapy with respect to HIV-related malnutrition and some of the key dietary interventions?

Answer 1

a. AIDS / HIV damages or destroys the body's immune system and our body become more vulnerable to developing and oppurtunistic infection, such as Pneumocytis carinii pneumonia or contracting an infection, such as foodborne illness. The foodborne illness can also leads to lengthier illness, undergo hospitalisation, or even die.To contracting a foodborne illness is very important.

The specific precautions are

• Keep high - risks food at 5 degree C or below or above 60 degree C to avoid the temperature danger zone
• Store raw foods below cooked foods
• Store food in suitable, covered containers
• Avoid refreezing thawed foods
• Check and observe the use -by dates on food products
• Take a special care with high- risks foods

b. Severe malnutrition in HIV infected person may leads to "wasting syndrome" which is characterised by unexplained body weight loss equal to or greater than 10% with associated fatigue, fever and diarrhea. HIV infection tends to increase the body's energy needs. It diminishes appetite and decreases the body's ability to digest food and absorb nutrients which results in malnutrition and inturns accelerates HIV infection.

c. Common Gastro intestinal side effects    

• Appetite loss - e.g: abacavir, zidovudine
• Lipodystrophy - e.g: abacavir, stavudine, zidovudine
• Fatigue - e.g : zidovudine, efavirenz
• Higher levels of cholestrol and triglycerides - e.g : didanosine, indinavir, stavudine, efavirenz

d. The specific objectives include providing nutrition counselling, care, and support ( including food and/ nutritional supplements as appropriate in order to protect and improve the nutritional status of the affected people.

1. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables         
2. Go for lean protein
3. Choose whole grains
4. Limit sugar and salt
5. Healthy fats in moderation
6. See doctors about any problems related to diet or weight such as loss of appetite, nausea, mouth issues
7. Eat right amount of calories
8. Drink plenty of fluids
9. Follow food safety rules such as wash your hands, avoid raw eggs, thraw frozen meat, rinse all fresh fruits and veggies in clean water, check expiration date, reheat thoroughly etc