**Author details**

*Nutrition and HIV/AIDS - Implication for Treatment, Prevention and Cure*

• Avoiding acidic foods, such as oranges, lemons and tomatoes.

• Restricting the consumption of alcohol, and refined sugars.

**Lipodystrophy (fat redistribution syndrome): this can be controlled by:**

• Taking unsaturated fats and sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon

• Preventing insulin resistance by avoiding foods that can raise glucose and

Even in the absence of opportunistic infections, many people with HIV infection may experience these health problems; therefore, the relationships between health problems and nutritional status of HIV-positive persons must be addressed

Malnutrition can be used as a measure of food insecurity and HIV individuals with compromised immune system will be at risk of infections when malnourished. HIV infection leads to many nutritional problems. Conditions such as malnutrition and opportunistic infections exacerbate HIV infection. The increased caloric requirements of HIV-positive individuals, the undesirable side effects of treatment that may be worsened by malnutrition, and the declines in adherence and possible drug resistance are justifications for strengthening the nutrition security of HIV-positive individuals including those receiving antiretro-

For a long time, the wasting syndrome has been the most frequently reported feature of HIV and AIDS. Nutritional and micronutrient deficiencies play important role in immune degradation and impaired development in HIV infection. Proper nutrition complemented by careful implementation of antiretroviral drugs is essential in the response to HIV and AIDS pandemic. Realizing the value of nutrition to the health of people living positively with HIV and AIDS, especially those suffering from severe acute malnutrition, UNICEF supports them with therapeutic feeding and antiretroviral therapy. That is, UNICEF provides support for nutritional assessments and counseling to manage HIV infection and the side effects of antiretroviral drugs. Therefore, body wasting, characterized by loss of body cell mass, which is frequently experienced by people with HIV infection and a factor in survival itself can be reduced by UNICEF's intervention and thereby minimize rapid weight loss typically associated with episodes of secondary infections. Therefore, adequate nutrition is a panacea for the good health of HIV

• Visiting a doctor to rule out opportunistic infections.

• Eating softer fruits, such as bananas or pears.

• Avoiding saturated and transfats in the diet.

insulin levels, primarily the carbohydrates.

to achieve the benefits of optimum health [14, 33].

• Eating fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

and tuna.

**3. Conclusion**

viral treatment.

**74**

persons.

Ezinna E. Enwereji1 \*, Martina C. Ezeama2 and Prince E.N. Onyemachi1

1 Abia State University, Nigeria

2 Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria

\*Address all correspondence to: hersng@yahoo.com

© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
