Preliminary Study on Prevalence of Obesity and Lifestyle Behaviors Among People Living with HIV in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

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Background/Objectives: Obesity is an increasing challenge among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of general and abdominal obesity and its association with lifestyle in adult Romanian PLWH, providing the first national data. Methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study involved 106 adult PLWH. Eating behavior was assessed using the Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants—Short Version (REAP-S) and physical activity with the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ), both standardized and validated. Anthropometric, clinical, and virological data were collected from medical records and direct measurement. Results: Median age was 36 years [IQR 33–42], 83.3% were male, and 73.6% lived in urban areas. Median time since HIV diagnosis was 11 years, and 60.4% had AIDS-defining illness. General obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) occurred in 17.9%, overweight in 29.2%, and high-risk abdominal obesity in 22.6%. Physical inactivity was reported by 20.8%. Multivariable analysis showed that being moderately or physically active was the only independent predictor of abdominal obesity (OR 0.19; 95% CI, 0.07–0.51; p = 0.001). Conclusions: In this young Romanian cohort of PLWH, physical activity reduces the risk of abdominal obesity, underscoring the need to integrate such interventions into the standard of care to reduce metabolic risk associated with HIV.

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