Body composition and dietary intake in relation to drug abuse in a cohort of HIV-positive persons

We examined the relationships, between drug abuse, weight, body composition , and dietary intake in persons infected with HIV in a cross-sectional anal ysis of baseline data from a longitudinal study of nutritional status and H IV. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Diet ary data were collected by 3-day food records or 24-hour recalls. We analyz ed data From 39 current intravenous drug users (IVDU), 103 past intravenous drug users (past-IVDU). 239 users of nonintravenous drugs (users-NIVD), an d 61 nonusers (reference category). In the men, there were no differences i n weight, body mass index (BMI), or body composition among the: drug-use gr oups. In the women, there was a trend to lower weight and BMI across the dr ug use categories: IVDU women had lower average weight (-13.7 kg; p = .006) , BMI (-5.6 units; p = .003) and less fat mass than non-users (-9.8 kg; p = .0001). In women, drug users had higher weight-adjusted energy intakes tha n nonusers, whereas in the men both drug using groups, NIVD and IVDU, had h igher energy intakes than nonusers. These data suggest that intravenous dru g-abuse is associated with lower weight and fat mass in women with HIV infe ction despite adequate self-reported energy intake.