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

The role of household food security (HFS) in the occurrence of wasting and the response to food-based intervention in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), especially adults, is still controversial and needs investigation. Face-to-face interviews to collect data for Coping Strategies Index score and Dietary Diversity Score estimation were conducted during a noncontrolled and nonrandomized study assessing the effectiveness of ready-to-use therapeutic food in the treatment of wasting in adults with HIV. Coping Strategies Index score and Dietary Diversity Score were used to determine HFS, and the participants and tertiles of Coping Strategies Index score were used to categorize HFS. The study showed that most participants were from food insecure households at admission, only 2.7% (5/187) ate food from six different food groups the day before enrolment, and 93% (180/194) were applying forms of coping strategy. Acute malnutrition was rare among