A “planting and eating soybean” project for people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Anhui – a pilot study in China

Abstract

Many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in rural Anhui, China are poor and lack sufficient protein in their diet. This project was to increase soybean protein in the diet of PLWHAs in a resource limited area in rural Anhui. A community intervention was implemented, by providing soybean seeds and a series of training courses on planting soybean, nutrition and preparing for soy food to PLWHA families in two villages in North Anhui. Participants were encouraged to eat soy food everyday after harvest. Among the 47 PLWHA participants in the assessment, 60% were females, 38% were illiterate, the average household income was 5323 Yuan ($760) per year. In 2006, they received soybean seeds of 320.5 kg and the harvest was 3465 kg four months later. In the past three months of the assessment, 94% had eaten soy food at least three times a week and 96% of them ate 100 g each time. After eating soy food, 93% felt better, 86% reported less sickness, 61.3% had higher total blood protein and blood white protein, 58.1% had higher blood hemoglobin, and 54.8% had higher CD₄ count. All participants liked the project and all hoped to continue the project. The preliminary data suggested that the pilot “planting and eating soybean” project was effective and sustainable for PLWHAs living in resource limited rural areas in Anhui, China.

Keywords:

• people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
• soybean
• nutrition
• China

Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the Round 3 Global Fund China CARE Program – A Community Based HIV Treatment, Care and Prevention Program in China (CHN-304-G03-H).