NUTRITION AND HEALTH STATUS OF HIV-INFECTED ADULTS ON ARVS AT AMREF CLINIC KIBERA URBAN SLUM, KENYA

The health of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) is nutritionally challenged in many nations of the world. The scourge has reduced socio-economic progress globally and more so in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where its impact has been compounded by poverty and food insecurity. Good nutrition with proper drug use improves the quality of life for those infected but it is not known how PLWHA exposed to chronic malnutrition and food shortages from developing nations adjust their nutrition with use of Anti-Retro-viral Drugs (ARVs). This study assessed nutritional status, dietary practices, and dietary management of common illnesses that hinder daily food intake by the patients and use of ARVs with food recommendations provided by the health care givers. A descriptive case study design was used to sample 120 HIV-infected patients using systematic sampling procedure. These patients sought health care from an urban slum, Kibera AMREF clinic. Data were collected by anthropometric measurements, bio-chemical analysis, semi-structured questionnaire and secondary data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the Nutri-Survey software packages were used to analyze data. Dietary intakes of micro-nutrients were inadequate for >70% of the patients when compared to the Recommended Daily Requirements. When Body Mass Indices (BMI) were used, only 6.7% of the respondents were underweight (BMI<18.5kg/m2) and 9.2% were overweight (BMI> 25kg/m2), serum albumin test results (mean 3.34±0.06g/dl) showed 60.8% of the respondents were protein deficient and this was confirmed by low dietary protein intakes. The BMI was not related to dietary nutrient intakes, serum albumin and CD4 cell counts (p>0.05). It appeared that there was no significant difference in BMI readings at different categories of CD4 cell count (p>0.05) suggesting that the level of immunity did not affect weight gain with ARV as observed in many studies from developed countries. Malnutrition was, therefore, evident among the 60.8% of the cases as identified by serum albumin tests and food intake was not adequate (68%) for the patients as they ate once a day due to lack of food. National food and nutrition policy should incorporate food security boosting guidelines for the poor people infected with HIV and using ARVs.

NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING OFFERED TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional counseling offered to children and adolescents with disabilities in the municipality of Santa Cruz, RN, Brazil. Methods: Observational, crosssectional, population-based study, developed from May to December 2013, with 102 children and adolescents attending a Children’s Rehabilitation Center. We conducted socioeconomic, demographic, health and lifestyle assessments, and evaluated the received nutritional assistance (whether they had received nutritional counseling from any health professional in relation to food and nutrition, how often it occurred and which professional conducted such counseling). Results: Only 37% (n=37) of parents had received some nutritional guidance. Regarding the frequency of counseling, only 11.8% (n=4) of the youngsters received it 7 or more times/year; 23.5% (n=8) received it 2 to 6 times/year; and most (64.7 %, n=22) received it 1 time/year or less. The length of the nutritional counseling was short: the majority (64.7%, n=22) received only one guidance session throughout the whole period attending the institution, and less than 15% (n=5) received counseling for more than six consecutive months. For the majority (73.5%, n=25), the amount of time receiving nutritional guidance has not reached half of the monitoring period. Nutritional counseling was carried out mainly by nutritionists (89.2%, n=33). Conclusion: There was a low frequency of nutritional counseling directed specifically to the disabilities presented by the participants. When such activity was conducted, it occurred irregularly during the participant´s follow-up, only during a short period of time, and lacking connection with the monitoring by the multidisciplinary team.

DESAFIOS E REFLEXÕES NA IMPLANTAÇÃO DE UM PROGRAMA DE EDUCAÇÃO ALIMENTAR E NUTRICIONAL (EAN) EM INDIVÍDUOS COM EXCESSO DE PESO

Objetivo: Relatar a experiência das atividades de educação alimentar e nutricional (EAN) desenvolvidas em pacientes com sobrepeso e obesidade. Síntese de dados: Realizaramse sessões de educação alimentar e nutricional (EAN) com pacientes com sobrepeso e obesidade graus I e II atendidos no ambulatório do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (HU/UFJF), integrantes do projeto de extensão “Saúde na Balança”. As sessões ocorreram em grupo, semanalmente no 1º mês, quinzenalmente no 2º e 3º mês e mensalmente até o 6º mês, no período de setembro de 2012 a setembro de 2013. Durante um ano de atividades, foram realizados 4 grupos, com um total de 46 integrantes, que aceitaram participar das sessões. Nestas, foram abordados temas em nutrição que apoiavam o atendimento individual. A equipe identificou que local, horário, periodicidade das sessões, disponibilidade de tempo e falta de recursos financeiros eram fatores que influenciavam a adesão do paciente ao tratamento, sendo alguns deles modificados, já se observando melhora da adesão no último grupo. Entretanto, ainda foram registradas 17 desistências. Com o autorrelato dos pacientes, foi possível perceber mudanças positivas nos hábitos alimentares e na forma de se relacionar com a obesidade e as comorbidades associadas. Conclusão: No decorrer das atividades, criou-se vínculo entre equipe e participantes, permitindo identificação de demandas e de formas efetivas de atuação nos grupos, demonstrando que a EAN auxilia a abordagem individual, na medida em que permite troca de experiências e informações, ampliando o poder de escolha por hábitos de vida saudáveis.