Risk factors for Overweight/Obesity among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: An ambidirectional cohort study at a tertiary health facility in Zambia.

BACKGROUND

Overweight and obesity are major concerns among people living with HIV (PLWH), particularly those on integrase inhibitors, as they elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, longitudinal data on the burden and risk factors for overweight/obesity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain limited. This study aimed to estimate the incidence and identify factors associated with overweight and obesity among PLWH who switched to a dolutegravir (DTG)-based ART regimen at Livingstone University Teaching Hospital.

METHODS

We enrolled 249 adults aged ≥18 years living with HIV on ART [non-nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) n = 174, protease inhibitor (PI) n = 21, and DTG n = 54] with a baseline body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m² between April 2019 and May 2020 and conducted a single follow-up assessment between December 2022 and June 2023. Participants were followed for a median of 43 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 42, 44). At follow-up, all participants were on a DTG-based regimen for a median time of 23 months (IQR: 19, 40). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The primary outcome was overweight/obesity, defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/ m2. Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to determine risk factors for being overweight and obesity.

RESULTS

The median age was 44 years (interquartile range (IQR) 36, 51) at baseline, with the majority being female (59.4%, n = 148). Over a total follow-up of 871.5 person-years, 44 incident cases of overweight/obesity occurred, yielding a cumulative incidence of 17.7% (44/249) and an incidence rate of 5.05 per 100 person-years. Factors positively associated with the risk of being overweight/obesity included being married (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 2.34; 95% CI 1.24, 4.40), lower baseline CD4 count (aIRR 4.13; 95% CI 1.41, 13.38) and higher waist circumference (WC) values (aIRR 1.07; 95% CI 1.03, 1.11). While older age was associated with a lower risk of overweight/obesity (aIRR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94, 0.99).

CONCLUSION

The burden of overweight/obesity was high, and it was significantly driven by demographic, anthropometric, and immunological factors among our study participants. The findings suggest the importance of implementing targeted screening and management strategies for overweight and obesity, particularly among married individuals with higher WC values. Studies investigating the underlying mechanisms of excessive weight gain among PLWH on an integrase inhibitor-based regimen in resource-limited settings are warranted.