Weight gain, cholesterol and sugar changes on HIV treatment
Metabolic changes on ART
What it is
Some people gain weight, especially around the belly, after starting HIV medicines (ART). Some also get higher cholesterol (fat in the blood), blood sugar or blood pressure. This raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease over time.
Common signs
- Often no signs at all
- Weight gain, especially around the waist
- Clothes getting tight at the belly
- Feeling thirsty or passing urine often if sugar is high
How it is diagnosed
A health worker checks your weight, waist and blood pressure at clinic visits. Blood tests for sugar and cholesterol show if these are high.
Tests
- Weight and waist measure — show belly fat
- Blood pressure reading — checks for high blood pressure
- Finger-prick glucose or HbA1c — checks blood sugar
- Cholesterol blood test — checks fats in the blood
- Kidney and liver blood tests — routine checks on ART
How food affects it
Food and exercise make a big difference here. Less sugar, fried food and refined starch helps control weight, sugar and cholesterol. Never stop or change your HIV medicines because of weight gain. Talk to your health worker instead.
Food as medicine, alongside your medicine. Food works alongside your medicines, not instead of them. Never stop or change your tablets without talking to your health worker.
Eat often
- Leafy greens, okra, garden egg, tomatoes and other vegetables — fill half your plate
- Beans, cowpeas, lentils and moi moi — fibre and protein
- Fish (tilapia, mackerel, sardines), grilled or boiled
- Whole grains: millet, sorghum, ofada rice, teff, whole maize
- Unripe plantain and orange sweet potato instead of white bread
- Fresh fruit: pawpaw, guava, orange — eat the fruit, not juice
Eat in moderation
- Rice, gari, fufu, ugali and yam — keep portions small
- Palm oil and groundnut oil — use a little
- Red meat — small pieces, a few times a week
- Salt and stock cubes
Avoid or cut down
- Soda, malt drinks, sweetened zobo and sweet tea
- Fried snacks: puff-puff, mandazi, chin chin, akara fried in old oil
- White bread, biscuits and pastries
- Alcohol — adds weight and harms the liver
Get help urgently
Go to a health worker now if you have chest pain, sudden weakness on one side, very high blood sugar with confusion, or blood pressure above 180/120.
General information, not a diagnosis. Always follow the advice of your health worker.