The Bi-directional Relationship Between Childhood Malnutrition and HIV/AIDS

Childhood malnutrition, a disorder broadly classified into overnutrition and undernutrition, is highly prevalent globally, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia. Several studies have highlighted the bidirectional relationship between this disorder and HIV/AIDS, another disease with a high global prevalence. This relationship is quite complex. Links have been established between the disease entities on the individual, family and household level. Opportunistic infections and diseases associated with HIV, antiretroviral therapy and its adverse effects have also been implicated in this relationship. The key implicated variables includes frequency of disease occurrence, morbidity and mortality rate, and disease transmission rate. This paper reviews existing literatures on the subject matter, identifies key knowledge gaps, and recommends the need for further study of this complex relationship in order to close the gaps and inform decisions in healthcare.