Impact of household food insecurity on the nutritional status and the response to therapeutic feeding of people living with human immunodeficiency virus

Figures & data

Table 1 Description of individual coping strategy and weighting

Coping strategies	Frequency†	Weight
Eating less preferred food	0–2	1.75
Reduce number of meals	0–2	2.75
Borrowing food	0–2	2.75
Reducing portion size	0–2	3.25
Purchasing food on credit	0–2	3.25
Skipping the entire day without eating	0–2	4.00
Total		35.5

† Note: 0 = almost every day, 1 = sometimes, 2 = never.

Table 2 Nutritional status, hemoglobin, and CD4 count at enrolment according to the Coping Strategies Index tertile

Variables	n	Mean (SD)	P value
Weight (kg)
≥ 30.0	60	41.9 (6.9)
22.75–<30.0	58	40.5 (6.2)	0.468
<22.75	62	40.8 (6.8)
Body mass index (kg/m^2)
≥ 30.0	59	16.7 (2.0)
22.75–<30.0	57	16.2 (1.8)	0.406
<22.75	65	16.2 (1.9)
MUAC (mm)
≥ 30.0	63	197.8 (18.8)
22.75–<30.0	58	195.2 (18.3)	0.727
<22.75	64	197.3 (19.6)
Hemoglobin (g/dL)
≥ 30.0	54	8.6 (1.8)
22.75–<30.0	53	8.6 (2.1)	0.706
<22.75	58	8.9 (2.1)
Variables	n	Median (IQR)	P value
CD4 count (cells/μL)
≥ 30.0	48	158.0 (104.5–337.0)
22.75–<30.0	50	124.5 (76.5–309.2)	0.593
<22.75	56	167.0 (98.7–397.7)

Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range; MUAC, mid-upper arm circumference; SD, standard deviation.

Figure 1 Coping Strategy Index (CSI) score at admission and follow up visits.

Note: Red bars show 95% confidence interval.

Figure 2 Proportion of wasted adults in the households of the participants according to Coping Strategy Index category.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CSI, Coping Strategy Index; MUAC, mid-upper arm circumference.

Table 3 Nutrition and immunity changes of participants enrolled in the program in relation to the Coping Strategies Index tertiles

Coping Strategies Index categories	All			Not yet on ART			Started ART
	n	Median (IQR)	P value	n	Median (IQR)	P value	n	Median (IQR)	P value
Weight gain at discharge (kg)
Middle and best tertiles: ≥22.75	76	3.3 (−1.7 to 6.9)	0.058	49	2.1 (−2.0 to 6.8)	0.145	27	5.1 (1.6 to 7.2)	0.681
Worst tertile: <22.75	41	0.0 (−1.7 to 3.4)		29	−0.1 (−1.9 to 1.2)		12	3.6 (−1.3 to 9.4)
BMI gain at discharge (kg/m^2)
Middle and best tertiles: ≥22.75	76	1.2 (−0.6 to 2.6)	0.046	49	0.6 (−0.7 to 2.5)	0.132	27	1.9 (0.6 to 2.7)	0.626
Worst tertile: <22.75	41	0.0 (−0.7 to 1.5)		29	0.0 (−0.9 to 0.4)		12	1.2 (−0.4 to 3.3)
MUAC gain at discharge (mm)
Middle and best tertiles: ≥22.75	76	22.0 (−0.7 to 36.0)	0.119	49	14.0 (−9.0 to 35.5)	0.313	27	24.0 (14.0 to 38.0)	0.563
Worst tertile: <22.75	41	10.0 (−3.0 to 25.0)		29	7.0 (−5.0 to 19.0)		12	22.5 (5.5 to 35.2)
Hemoglobin gain at discharge (g/dL)
Middle and best tertiles: ≥22.75	65	0.75 (−0.6 to 2.3)	0.128	45	0.5 (−0.5 to 2.7)	0.153	21	1.2 (−1.1 to 2.1)	0.475
Worst tertile: <22.75	36	0.37 (−1.0 to 1.4)		25	0.2 (−1.1 to 1.4)		11	0.4 (−0.8 to 1.8)
CD4 count gain at discharge (cells/μL)
Middle and best tertiles: ≥22.75	49	43.0 (−20.0 to 127.0)	0.595	33	9.0 (−29.0 to 88.0)	0.718	16	100.0 (−42.0 to 183.7)	0.692
Worst tertile: <22.75	23	26.0 (−90.0 to 132.0)		14	6.0 (−96.5 to 63.0)		9	89.0 (−51.5 to 213.5)

Abbreviations: ART, antiretroviral therapy; BMI, body mass index; IQR, interquartile range; MUAC, mid-upper arm circumference; SD, standard deviation.

Table 4 Weight gain after discontinuation of CS-RUTF supplementation according to the food security condition at enrolment

Coping Strategy Index categories	n	Follow-up duration after stopping CS-RUTF supplementation (days)		Weight change after stopping CS-RUTF supplementation(kg)
		Mean (SD)	P value	Mean (IQR)	P value
All participants
≥ 22.75	47	338.5 (117.1)	0.860	1.8 (−1.4 to 4.7)	0.098
< 22.75	21	332.8 (138.6)		−1.9 (−5.2 to 4.2)
Never started ART
≥ 22.75	20	312.9 (140.6)	0.595	1.1 (−3.5 to 3.1)	0.006
< 22.75	8	343.0 (112.3)		−5.2 (−7.5 to −1.9)
Ever started ART
≥ 22.75	27	357.5 (94.5)	0.520	3.3 (−9.0 to 5.1)	0.874
< 22.75	13	326.5 (156.8)		3.0 (−3.2 to 5.4)

Abbreviations: ART, antiretroviral therapy; CS-RUTF, chickpea sesame-based ready-to-use therapeutic food; IQR, interquartile range.