Associated factors with nutrient intake and nutritional status of HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac District: A cross-sectional study

Associated factors with nutrient intake and nutritional status of HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac District: A cross-sectional study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Associated factors with nutrient intake and nutritional status of HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac District: A cross-sectional study Sharon Victoria Atim, Bosco Opio, Jasper Omoko, Bonny Aloka This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7804749/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Introduction Malnutrition among HIV/AIDS patients hinders sustainable development goals, as it strains healthcare systems. HIV causes nutrient loss and malabsorption, increasing nutritional needs, particularly in lactating women. HIV-infected breastfeeding mothers face higher nutritional risks than non-HIV counterparts. While global studies address maternal malnutrition, few in Uganda focus on factors affecting nutrient intake and nutritional status among HIV-positive breastfeeding women. This study aimed to explore these factors in Apac district. Method A cross-sectional study involving 224 HIV positive breastfeeding mothers was conducted. A pre-tested 24-hour recall questionnaire, using dietary diversity score for women (DDS-W) was used to collect the data. The nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI), while the nutrient intake was assessed by entering the actual intakes into an excel sheet to calculate the total nutrient intake per individual from which mean nutrient intake and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was finally calculated. The data was analyzed using Stata version 18 at univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels. Results A total of 10.3% of the participants were undernourished, with dietary diversity score of 4.3 food groups while 21% had poor dietary diversity score. The participants were able to meet 61% of their recommended micronutrient intake, with intakes of energy, lipids, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, C, B6, and B12 below recommendations. The factors associated with nutritional status were maternal age [AOR = 1.94, 95% CI (1.05–3.59)], presence of market [AOR = 0.42, 95% CI (0.223–0.784)], means of obtaining food (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI (0.234–0.94)) and presence of cultural food taboos [AOR = 0.44, 95% CI (0.136–0.998)]. Factors associated with nutrient intake were presence of market [p = 0.018, 95%CI (0.010–0.104)], income [p = 0.010, 95% CI (0.007–0.048)], DDS [p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.022–0.058)] and household head [p = 0.049, 95%CI (-0.095-0.001)]. Conclusion There is prevalence of under nutrition among HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac district, coupled with poor dietary diversity score and low micronutrient intake. Interventions increasing DDS, nutrition education and income should be promoted. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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study","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7804749/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7804749/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMalnutrition among HIV/AIDS patients hinders sustainable development goals, as it strains healthcare systems. HIV causes nutrient loss and malabsorption, increasing nutritional needs, particularly in lactating women. HIV-infected breastfeeding mothers face higher nutritional risks than non-HIV counterparts. While global studies address maternal malnutrition, few in Uganda focus on factors affecting nutrient intake and nutritional status among HIV-positive breastfeeding women. This study aimed to explore these factors in Apac district.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethod\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional study involving 224 HIV positive breastfeeding mothers was conducted. A pre-tested 24-hour recall questionnaire, using dietary diversity score for women (DDS-W) was used to collect the data. The nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI), while the nutrient intake was assessed by entering the actual intakes into an excel sheet to calculate the total nutrient intake per individual from which mean nutrient intake and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was finally calculated. The data was analyzed using Stata version 18 at univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA total of 10.3% of the participants were undernourished, with dietary diversity score of 4.3 food groups while 21% had poor dietary diversity score. The participants were able to meet 61% of their recommended micronutrient intake, with intakes of energy, lipids, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, C, B6, and B12 below recommendations. The factors associated with nutritional status were maternal age [AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.94, 95% CI (1.05\u0026ndash;3.59)], presence of market [AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.42, 95% CI (0.223\u0026ndash;0.784)], means of obtaining food (AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.55, 95% CI (0.234\u0026ndash;0.94)) and presence of cultural food taboos [AOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.44, 95% CI (0.136\u0026ndash;0.998)]. Factors associated with nutrient intake were presence of market [p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.018, 95%CI (0.010\u0026ndash;0.104)], income [p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.010, 95% CI (0.007\u0026ndash;0.048)], DDS [p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001, 95% CI (0.022\u0026ndash;0.058)] and household head [p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.049, 95%CI (-0.095-0.001)].\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is prevalence of under nutrition among HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac district, coupled with poor dietary diversity score and low micronutrient intake. Interventions increasing DDS, nutrition education and income should be promoted.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Associated factors with nutrient intake and nutritional status of HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in Apac District: A cross-sectional study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-10 06:38:53","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7804749/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"14b9680c-09a9-4c76-82cd-1afe7a655e11","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 10th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-15T08:54:12+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-10 06:38:53","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7804749","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7804749","identity":"rs-7804749","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}