(P24-35-26) A Four-Year Review on Impact of Nutrition Education on Nutrition Status of People Living With HIV Who Attended Clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Eastern Nigeria

Objectives: Nutrition is essential for the health and well-being of people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, malnutrition remains a persistent concern that affects the immune system, heightens susceptibility to opportunistic infections, causes gastrointestinal disturbances, and compromises nutrient absorption. This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition and the impact of structured nutrition education on the nutritional status of PLHIV attending the outpatient clinic at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AEFUTHA) over four years (2019–2022).

Methods: A cross-sectional review of patient records was conducted, with simple random sampling used to select four months (February, May, August, and September) each year. Data collected included anthropometric measurements and information on whether participants received nutrition education. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated to determine nutritional status. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression in SPSS version 27.

Results: Among the 8,792 participants, 36.2% were male and 63.8% were female, with most (67.9%) aged 18–47 years. Most participants (52.8%) had normal BMI, 25.6% were overweight, 13.6% were obese, and 8% were underweight. A majority (83.7%) had not received nutrition education. Nutrition education was significantly associated with nutritional status (χ²(5, n=8792)=4018, p< 0.001). Multinomial logistic regression showed that older participants were slightly less likely to be underweight compared with those in Obese Class III (OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99, p=0.037).

Conclusions: The study concludes that most PLHIV had normal nutritional status and that structured nutrition education is associated with improved outcomes. It is recommended that culturally appropriate, structured nutrition education protocols be integrated into outpatient HIV care, with regular follow-up and monitoring to enhance effectiveness.

Funding Sources: The study received no external funding.