Purpose of review: This review proposes to examine the role of nutrition (defined at body mass index, food security or nutrition interventions) in each of the steps of the treatment cascade for HIV.
Recent findings: Food insecurity was found to be associated with increase in risk behaviors, with decreased retention in care and with lower adherence to antiretroviral therapy; fewer studies looked at the role of baseline body weight on outcomes such as mortality. Studies of nutrition interventions had more complex outcomes but improvement in nutritional status was the outcome that was most commonly identified.
Summary: Nutrition has an important role to play in the current care of HIV-infected individuals and can have an impact on the treatment cascade. Food in security, which may be reversed by the provision of food, is of particular interest as studies suggest associations with multiple outcomes.