Abstract
Background
 
 Good nutrition empowers PLWH with the ability to fight against infection ultimately slowing down disease progression. Consequently, nutrition management is a crucial component of HIV treatment, care, and support. This study aimed at assessing dietary status and associated factors among PLWH in Kigali, Rwanda.
 
 Methods
 
 We conducted a cross sectional study in three selected hospitals in Kigali from over a six-week period in July – August, 2019 to collect data from 204 HIV positive adults enrolled using systematic random sampling. Data was collected using an adapted, validated and pre-tested food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 25 for windows.
 
 Results
 
 The proportion of participants with poor dietary status was 15% based on FFQ responses. The study found only three factors to be independently associated with dietary status. There was an association between dietary status and HIV status disclosure (AOR 2.5; CI 1.25 - 4.83; p=0.014). There was an association between dietary status and travel time to place of collection of ARVs (AOR 3.2; CI 1.7 - 5.8; p=0.006). There was an association between dietary status and BMI (AOR 10.2; CI 8.30 – 16.0; p<0.001).
 
 Conclusions
 
 Poor dietary status among PLWH remains a concern. The strong association between dietary status and BMI underlines the need for interventions that target PLWH to improve dietary status and ultimately nutrition status
Highlights
As of 2016, HIV accounted for more than 1.8 million incidents yearly, with most occurring in resource poor countries (UNAIDS, 2017)
The proportion of participants with poor dietary status was 15% based on food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) responses
The study found only three factors to be independently associated with dietary status
Summary
As of 2016, HIV accounted for more than 1.8 million incidents yearly, with most occurring in resource poor countries (UNAIDS, 2017). Earlier data showed that in 2015, 36.7 million people globally were infected with HIV and AIDS, 1.8 million being children under 15 years (Organization, 2016). In 2015, 1.1 million deaths were reported from HIV with 2.1 million new infections, including 150,000 children (WHO, 2018). There is a growing recognition of the role nutritional support within clinical and community services plays in engagement, adherence and retention in care and treatment (Berhe, Tegabu, & Alemayehu, 2013; Kendall et al, 2014; Tang, Jacobson, Spiegelman, Knox, & Wanke, 2005). Good nutrition empowers PLWH with the ability to fight against infection slowing down disease progression. Nutrition management is a crucial component of HIV treatment, care, and support. This study aimed at assessing dietary status and associated factors among PLWH in Kigali, Rwanda
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