Food Consumption Patterns and Nutrient Intakes of Children and Adolescents in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Call for Policy Action.

Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh,Mandy Taktouk,Lara Nasreddine

doi:10.3390/nu12113345

Abstract

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has witnessed significant social and economic changes that may have influenced the diet of children and adolescents, and increased the risk for obesity and malnutrition in this age group. This review aims to characterize and assess food consumption patterns and nutrient intakes amongst school-aged children (5–10 years) and adolescents (10–19 years) in countries of the EMR. Electronic databases (MedLine, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched for relevant articles published between 2005 and 2020; international organizations and governmental websites were also searched. Available studies documented low intakes of fruits, vegetables and fiber, inadequate consumption of water, milk and dairy products, coupled with high intakes of fat, saturated fat, and sugar sweetened beverages, as well as a frequent consumption of energy-dense, nutrient poor foods such as sweet and savory snacks. Micronutrient inadequacies were also observed, particularly for calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins A, D, C, and folate. Acknowledging the impact that nutrition may have on building societies and transforming the lives of children, adolescents and their families, there is a crucial need for a food system approach in developing and implementing national and regional policies and interventions aimed at improving the diet of children and adolescents.

Highlights

The health and well-being of children and adolescents are essential prerequisites for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), those focusing on poverty, health security, education and the reduction of inequalities [1]
Many of the available studies were conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between dietary factors and health outcome, such as dental caries [21,22,23], overweight [24,25], elevated blood pressure [26], or anemia [27], in small samples of children
In the Levant, a national study conducted in Lebanon showed that fast food alone contributed to around 11.3% of daily energy intake (EI), and this was coupled with a high intake of sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), which provided

Summary

Introduction

The health and well-being of children and adolescents are essential prerequisites for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), those focusing on poverty, health security, education and the reduction of inequalities [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the importance of adequate nutrition to “enable children and adolescents to enjoy good health while playing a full role in contributing to transformative change and sustainable development”, in alignment with the SDGs [2]. Good nutrition during childhood and adolescence is indispensable for growth and development, health and well-being, and the prevention of obesity and several chronic diseases [3]. Inadequate dietary intakes of energy, protein, or certain micronutrients will result in slower growth rates, delayed sexual maturation, lower reserves of micronutrients, and inadequate bone mass [4]. Dietary intakes of children and adolescents may affect their risk of developing a number of health problems, such as iron deficiency and dental caries, while lowering

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