Contributing Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity amongst HIV Infected Adults in Vihiga District Hospital, Vihiga Country

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity have become a health concern for both developed and developing countries with physical inactivity and unhealthy diet as its’ primary determinants. This has also been reported amongst HIV affected adults on ARVs. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine associated with prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst HIV infected adults enrolled in Comprehensive Care Clinic of Vihiga hospital, Vihiga County. Methods: This was a baseline survey conducted from May to July, 2016 amongst HIV infected adults enrolled at Vihiga hospital. Questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents with a mean age of 36 years, 42.9% males and 57.1% females. Findings: Approximately, 37.5% had high levels of nutritional knowledge while 30.4% and 32.1% had moderate and low levels of nutritional knowledge respectively. Approximately, 14.3% out of 23.2% of respondents with obesity assumed their weight as being healthy; 17.9% of obese respondents perceived that the community associated obesity with optimal health and 21.4% reported that the community associated thinness with HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: The key factors that contributed to the prevalence of obesity include misconceptions of individual perception about weight gain, low level of education and poor implementation of nutritional advice given.