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Location: Tufts University School of Medicine, Nutrition/Infectious Unit and New England Medical Center, 131 Harrison Ave., Room 203, Boston, MA 

Telephone Number:  617/636-3636

Year Program Started: 1995

Principal RD: The principle dietitians at NFHL are Ms. Emily Potts, MS, Clinical Nutritionist, and Margo N. Woods, D.Sc., Research Nutrition Director.

E-mail Address: emily.potts@tufts.edu

Web Site: http://www.tufts.edu/med/nutrition_HIV/

Service Provisions: The facility is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and evening clinic hours are optional to accommodate participant’s needs.

Program Nutritionists Roles: In total, there are 6 nutritionists currently employed at NFHL. All nutritionists are involved in program planning, research guidelines, and participant interviews and counseling.

Patient Referral Source: A constant factor in the NFHL program is recruitment and maintenance of a 500 participant base. Patients are referred to the NFHL by HIV clinics, Infectious Disease Clinics, HIV providers and HIV programs in Boston and outlying areas, gay bars, newspaper and radio spots. The best recruitment strategies are word of mouth or personal invitation. 

Number of Clients and Population Served: The specific aims of NFHL are to identify the factors responsible for weight loss associated with HIV infection and to determine the effect weight loss has on the progression of HIV infection and on outcome. Identifying the time course of nutritional changes and predictors of poor outcome will allow early intervention with appropriate targeted nutritional therapy. This, in turn, could improve quality of life, decrease the incidence of infections, and increase life span for persons with HIV infection.

The study recruitment goal is to mimic the HIV population in the US so that the study data will reflect the actual HIV+ numbers, ethnicity, sex, drug users, and even individuals who contacted the infection via sexual partners.

The original time line of the study was three years; however because of greater funding and interest in long term survival the study is ongoing.  Participants (men and women over 18 & diagnosed with HIV) are encouraged to remain in the study.

The goal of the study is to recruit and maintain a heterogeneous population. The final data should present a real cross section of the HIV community. Approximately 425 participants are currently enrolled in the study.

Funding Source: The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the principal funding source.

How often are patients seen?  In the beginning, all participants are seen twice in a two-week period. Thereafter, patients are seen every six months.  The data from each visit is sent to both the participant and to the participant’s physician, therefore the profile allows for assessment over time. This has become an invaluable piece of information for many physicians.