Chapter 12 - Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in North Africa

Abstract

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has long been considered healthy. Although some of the earliest reports describing its key components date back to the seventeenth century, there is still no consensus on its definition. North African (NA) countries share many similar food traditions considered to fit the profile of a MD. However, large variation exists between and within Mediterranean countries based on their local (and in some cases ancient) food and cultural habits. In parallel to these features, less healthy options such as traditional sweet dishes and red meats, combined with the growing influence of Western processed foods, are also part of the usual diet in most NA countries. Socioeconomic status (SES) is closely intertwined with the attitudes toward dietary habits and their social components. This review describes the MD in NA countries and the role of SES in the current trends of these MDs.