Background: HIV and non-HIV-related factors have been related to weight gain (WG); however, their specific impact on people with HIV (PWH) who are overweight or obese remains unclear.
Methods: This is a single-center observational study enrolling PWH with a BMI > 25 kg/m2. A generalized linear model was used to assess variables related to greater WG during 12 years of observation.
Results: A total of 321 PWH were enrolled, 67% overweight and 33% obese, who gained an average of 0.2 ± 1.3 and 1.7 ± 1.5 kg/year, respectively (p < 0.0001). Years since HIV infection were the only variable significantly associated with WG (β -0.048, 95% CI -0.083; -0.013) during the study period, while type of ART did not influence the outcome. Narrowing the observation to the period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, PWH with a longer duration of infection (β 0.075, 95% CI 0.033; 0.117) and a greater increase in triglycerides (β 0.005; 95% CI 0.000; 0.011) gained more weight, while higher BMI (β -0.256, 95% CI -0.352; -0.160), obesity (β -1.363, 95% CI -2.319; -0.408), diabetes mellitus (β -1.538, 95% CI -2.797; -0.278), and greater abdominal circumference (β -0.086, 95% CI -0.142; -0.030) resulted in protection.
Conclusion: Among overweight and obese PWH, the amount of WG was higher in the first years after diagnosis of HIV and decreased thereafter, despite aging, regardless of the type of ART.
Keywords: ART; OBHIV; comorbidities; obese; overweight; weight gain.