Prevalence and Associated Factors of Overweight and Obesity Among People Living with HIV/AIDS on Antiretroviral Therapy in Benin’s National Teaching Hospital

Overweight and obesity are major global public health concerns. Understanding their relationship with lifestyle factors in the context of HIV is crucial to improving health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors with overweight and obesity among people living with HIV(PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Benin’s National Teaching Hospital. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted over a three-month period, from July 29 to October 25, 2024. Body mass index (BMI) was used to classify participants as normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m²), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m²), or obese (≥ 30 kg/m²). Data were collected through structured interviews and medical record reviews. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, univariable, and multivariable logistic regression to assess associations between overweight/obesity and demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study population was 49.4%, with a significantly higher prevalence in females (36.8%) than males (12.6%). Multivariable analysis identified female sex (aOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.5–4.1; p < 0.001) and hypertension (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6–4.1; p < 0.001) as strong independent predictors of overweight and obesity. Conversely, a high viral load (> 1000 copies/ml) was inversely associated with excess weight (aOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2–0.9; p = 0.050). Education level, physical activity, and alcohol consumption were not significantly associated with overweight or obesity (p > 0.05). Future research should explore the impact of ART regimens and lifestyle interventions on weight gain in PLHIV.