Assessment of dietary patterns and nutritional status among tuberculosis patients in Saudi Arabia

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, although lifestyle and nutritional choices can significantly reduce its incidence. The aim of this study was to assess dietary patterns among patients with tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia and to examine their relationship with nutritional status, particularly body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional design study was conducted among 600 patients with tuberculosis in the health sectors run by the directly observing mobile teams in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. Dietary patterns were identified using an exploratory factor analysis. In addition, associations between BMI and the explored dietary patterns were assessed. Contrary to global trends, a notably high prevalence of overweight/obesity among TB patients (40.59%) and relatively low proportion of underweight individuals (8.46%) were observed. Four distinct dietary patterns were identified that collectively explained 81% of the variance: prudent (fruits and vegetables, and legumes), high protein (milk and dairy products, meat and poultry, fish and seafood and traditional foods), grain-based (grains and cereals), and western (processed snacks, fast foods, and sugary foods and beverages). The prudent food pattern showed a highly significant negative linear trend with BMI (R2 = 0.098, P < .01), whereas the high-protein food pattern exhibited a highly significant positive trend (R2 = 0.017, P < .01). Grain-based and Western food patterns were not significantly associated with BMI. These findings highlight an evolving nutritional landscape among patients with tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia, where overweight and obesity are prevalent. Further research is required to explore the long-term implications of these dietary patterns on tuberculosis treatment outcomes and overall patient health.