Nutrition, age, medical literacy and gender: The impact of ethnic origin (Arabs vs. Jewish Israelis) on obesity

Abstract

Summary Background Overweight and obesity are serious risk factors associated with major health problems such as, mortality as a result of ischemic heart diseases, cerebro vascular attacks (CVA) and diabetes. Previous cross-sectional research reveals the “Mediterranean diet” paradox among native Arab Israelis: despite the fact that this diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, high fiber and low fat diet originated in the Mediterranean basin, Israeli Arabs exhibit a high prevalence of obesity and concurrent elevated mortality rates. Yet, referring to the few obesity studies conducted among Arab-Israeli populations, none used a panel data-set. The Israeli longtitudinal survey was primarily conducted by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (ICBS) at the national level beginning in 2012. This was part of the new statistical requirements from the Organization of Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD), which Israel joined as member in 2010. Objective To fill this lacuna, namely, lack of any previous longitudinal study in Israel at the national level. The panel structure of our study, covering 2012–2016, permits the BMI between-group comparison (as an overweight and obesity measure) of native Jewish and Arab Israelis females and males (the two main ethnic groups in Israel), while controlling the age variable within the same group. We track the same individuals over time and observe the variations of their BMI. Sample The sample employed in this study is representative of the Israeli population. The information was collected by personal interviews. The sample contains 24,685 observations × years of native Israelis, and is divided to 16,538 native Jewish Hebrew speakers × years (67% of the sample); and 8147 native non-Jewish Arabic speakers × years (33% of the sample). Results: Between-group comparison when age is controlled, compared to native Jewish Israeli women, native Jewish Israeli men and Arab Israeli women cross the overweight benchmark (i.e., BMI≥25 – according to the World Health Organization classification) 20 years earlier. Results: Within-group comparison while during this five-year period, native Arab Israeli women gain weight at an increasing pace, there is a decrease in the weight gain among native Jewish Israeli women, and starting from 2014 – there is an actual weight loss. Interestingly, during the sample period, both native Arab Israelis and Jewish Israeli men gained weight at an increasing pace. Conclusions These outcomes may demonstrate the higher medical literacy of native Jewish Israeli women (i.e., better awareness to high fiber diets and physical activity), and may stress the need to increase this public awareness, particularly among native Jewish Israeli men and both Arab Israeli men and women.