Unhealthy Dietary Habits and Obesity: The Major Risk Factors Beyond Non-Communicable Diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Abstract

There are 22 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) expanding from Morocco in the west to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the east, containing a population of 725,721 million in 2020. In the previous 30 years, the illness burden in the EMR has transmitted from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In 2019, cardiovascular mortality in the EMR was mostly attributed to ischemic heart disease, the first reason for mortality in 19 countries in the region. Stroke was the second reason for death in nine countries followed by diabetes, which was ranked as the second reason for death in two countries. The prominent nutrition-related NCDs risk factors in EMR include obesity, hypertension, high fasting plasma glucose, and upregulated unhealthy diet consumption. Most of the EMR population are unaware of their NCDs risk factor status. These risk factors, even if treated, are often poorly controlled, therefore, inhibiting their existence by changing the lifestyle to proper dietary habits and sufficient physical activity is mandatory. In this review, the epidemiology and nutrition-related risk factors of NCDs in the EMR will be discussed and illustrated, aiming to scale up action and support decision-makers in implementing cost effective strategies to address obesity and NCDs prevention and management in the region.

The effect of unhealthy dietary habits on the incidence of dental caries and overweight/obesity among Egyptian school children (A cross-sectional study)

“…Among EMR, 15 countries have developed either a policy or prepared a draft to reduce the impact of marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children in educational facilities and on media. These countries include all high-income countries (GCC), middle-income countries (Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, and Palestine), and a low-income country (Yemen) ( 110 , 117 ). Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages have been implemented in all high-income countries (GCC) and middle-income countries including Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia.…”

“…Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages have been implemented in all high-income countries (GCC) and middle-income countries including Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia. Front-of-pack labeling has been applied in five countries in EMR, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Morocco, and Tunisia ( 117 ).…”

Determining the Impact of Lifestyle on the Health of Primary School Children in Slovenia Through Mixed Membership Focus Groups

“…Unhealthy eating habits in children are linked to chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes [ 1 ]. The causes of unhealthy eating habits include marketing pressure from the food industry, media influences, peer pressure, changes in family dynamics, lack of time due to school and other commitments, and limited access to healthy food choices [ 1 , 47 ]. Our study shows that primary school children often eat fast or industrially prepared foods, sweet and salty snacks, and do not consume enough vegetables or fruits.…”

Mexican Ancestral Foods (Theobroma cacao, Opuntia ficus indica, Persea americana and Phaseolus vulgaris) Supplementation on Anthropometric, Lipid and Glycemic Control Variables in Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In particular, the consumption of processed foods is linked to the emergence of one of the world’s most serious public health issues: obesity, the 21st-century pandemic [ 3 ]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are two main factors that can lead to obesity: on the one hand, a rise in the consumption of foods that are high in fat and sugar but low in vitamins and minerals, and on the other hand, a decline in physical activity brought on by an increase in sedentary jobs, urbanization, and motorized transportation (WHO, 2021) [ 4 ]. Obesity is a chronic, low-grade inflammatory illness with multiple underlying causes.…”