One in three HIV-infected Australians is under-nourished, according to research presented at the 4th International AIDS Society Conference in Sydney.

Dietitians at four Sydney treatment centers conducted the study. Of the 196 people interviewed, 31 percent said they lacked access to nutritious food. About half said they had difficulty paying for food, and 21 percent said they regularly went hungry. Respondents were divided evenly between those living on a salary and those dependent on government assistance. Nearly 30 percent lived below the poverty line.

"Depending on their disease state, they may not be mobile and might not be able to leave their house and actually access adequate food, or purchase food," said Antoinette Ackerie, dietician at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the study's leader.

Researchers stress that access to a safe supply of adequate food is essential to maintaining health for those infected with HIV.

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