# Impact of Nutritional Counselling and Support on Body Mass Index Recovery and Treatment Outcomes Among Tuberculosis Patients in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

## TL;DR

This study examines how nutritional support affects body mass index recovery and treatment outcomes for tuberculosis patients in Laos.

## Contribution

The study introduces a systematic nutritional intervention for TB patients in Lao PDR, where such support is not commonly provided.

## Key findings

- 84.3% of participants improved their BMI to 18.5 kg/m2 or higher by the end of treatment.
- The intervention group showed early nutritional recovery during the intensive phase of TB treatment.
- Treatment success rate was high at 90.6%, with factors like age under 45 and HIV-negative status linked to better outcomes.

## Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) and undernutrition are intricately linked, significantly impacting health outcomes. However, nutritional support for TB patients is not systematically implemented in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). This study evaluated the effects of nutritional counselling and support on nutritional recovery and TB treatment outcomes. A longitudinal study involved 297 individuals with drug-susceptible TB, 39.4% of whom had a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 kg/m2. Participants were divided into an observation group and an intervention group, the latter receiving nutritional support. Nutritional support included ready-to-use therapeutic food and therapeutic milk products, tailored to patients’ nutritional status. Data collection was conducted at four intervals during treatment. By the end of treatment, 84.3% of participants improved their nutritional status to a BMI of 18.5 kg/m2 or higher. The intervention group showed early nutritional recovery, particularly during the intensive phase of TB treatment, although the p-value (p = 0.067) should be interpreted with caution. The overall treatment success rate was high at 90.6%, with no significant difference between groups. Factors associated with treatment success included age under 45, HIV-negative status, a BMI of 18.5 kg/m2 or higher, and clinically diagnosed pulmonary TB. Further assessment is required for the operational feasibility to provide systematic nutritional assessment and counselling for people with TB in Lao PDR.