Depression and Dietary Intake in HIV Patients

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Previous studies have demonstrated that depression can have a number of negative effects on dietary intake, ranging from skipping meals, lacking motivation to eat, selecting poor food choices, and others.  It has also been shown that depression is a common problem in HIV patients, with prevalence estimates of up to 37% of HIV patients affected.  With this in mind, researchers from Australia sought to determine how depression affects dietary intake in patients suffering from HIV, and their findings were published in the International Journal of STD & AIDS.  The study sample was composed of 58 HIV patients and was split into a depressed group (n=21) and a non-depressed group (n=37).  Dietary intake was evaluated through a diet history, food frequency questionnaire, and 24-hour recall conducted by a dietitian, and depression level was measured using a depression scale.  As far as macronutrient intake is concerned, the depressed patients consumed a significantly lower amount of fiber than the non-depressed patients, but there weren’t any other significant differences for any of the other macronutrients between the two groups.  In addition, vitamin A, magnesium, and folate intakes were significantly less in patients who were depressed than in those who were not.  Overall, the researchers concluded that there are significant differences in the diet quality of depressed HIV patients with that of non-depressed HIV patients and that this is a topic meriting further study.  Poor nutritional status can impair the immune system, which is already weakened due to the HIV disease state, further increasing the likelihood of disease-associated morbidity and mortality.  For this reason, understanding the impact that depression has on the dietary intake of HIV patients can help nutrition and medical professionals to better treat this unique subset of patients.    

Ashley    

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