title: Nutrition Habits and Health Outcomes of Breastfeeding HIV-positive mothers in the Dschang Health District, West Region Cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amongst the different at-risk periods for mother-to-child HIV transmission that is, during pregnancy, labor and delivery and breastfeeding, much care and attention needs to be given, not only to the child as concerns its feeding options, but also to the mother. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional habits and health outcomes of HIV-positive breastfeeding mothers in the Dschang Health District, in the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2014 to February 2015, at the Dschang District Day Care Hospital. A standard questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interview to 56 breastfeeding HIV-positive mothers. Anthropometric parameters of the mothers were measured (weight and height), and a physical check-up performed, with examination of the mothers' conjunctiva and palms. Clinical status was determined by anemia test using the Tallquist hemoglobin test. Data collected were analyzed using Epi Info version 7.1.3.3 and Excel 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 33 years. Most women ate three meals per day (53.6%, n=30/56), while 26,8% (15/56) ate two. Staples (27.27%) and fruits (33.68%) were found to be the most consumed foods per week and green leafy and yellow vegetables the least consumed (13.74%). Body mass index was used to evaluate the nutritional status of participating women: 26.9% (n=14/52) were in the normal range of weight, slightly more than half were overweight (51.9%, n=27/52) and 21.2% (n=11/52) were obese. All mothers were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Recent CD4 count results were available for about half of the women and the mean was 293 cells/mmc (range 97-798). Physical checkup showed that 64.3% (n=36/56) and 67.9% (n=38/56) of women respectively had moderately colored conjunctiva and palms, while 10.7% (n=6/56) and 12.5% (n=7/56) respectively had pale conjunctiva and palms, considered to be clinical signs of anemia. About 74.1% (n=40/54) of the women were borderline anemic, 24.1% (n=13/54) had frank anemia and only 1.9% (n=1/54) had normal blood counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutrition habits amongst HIV-positive breastfeeding women of the Dschang Health District were not optimal and contributed a great deal to the poor health outcomes observed in the PMTCT study. Nutritional education should be offered in addition to ART, to help women make better nutrition choices to meet body needs and improve health.
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanou Sobze
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Tsi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kien-Atsu
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "La SAPIENZA", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Djeunang Dongho
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jimmy Roger
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fotso
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: TiotsiaTsapi
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Azeufack Ngueko
authors.affiliation: University of Dschang, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Sali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Bechir
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Studi Sanitari &quot;Giuseppe Cannarella&quot;, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pana
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ercoli
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colizzi
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "La SAPIENZA", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D009035:Mothers