Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2026
Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
[Diet survey and evaluation of ingested nutrients in a group of HIV patients]
B Izquierdo Villarroyal1, S Celaya Pérez, J A Amiguet García
1Servicio de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapia del Dolor, Hospital Miguel Servet, España. blizvi@comz.org
Objective:
To study the relationship between nutritional status, immunological condition, clinical progress and food consumption in a group of patients infected with HIV.
Method:
Longitudinal descriptive study of 30 HIV/AIDS patients. Anthropometric assessment (weight, height, skin folds, upper arm circumference). The intake of nutrients was calculated using a one-week dietary record.
Results:
The mean amount of energy intake is 2,791 kcal with a 13.48% of protein, 40.12% of carbohydrates and 45.89% of lipids. The group of patients with weight loss presented a significantly greater proportion of proteins than group with normal weight. Patients with Kwashiorkor-like malnutrition presented an intake of proteins which was significantly lower than the group of well-nourished patients. The group of those whose nutritional status improved presented a significantly higher mean percentage of proteins in the diet than the other groups.
Conclusions:
The amount of the energy intake by patients is higher than that recommended. The diets show an excessive consumption of fats and a shortage of carbohydrates and proteins. Deficits are observed in vitamin B6 and vitamin E, magnesium and zinc. The increase in intake, by itself, does not improve the health status of the patients, indicating the need to provide them with the necessary dietary supplements from the early stages of their condition.
