Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T06:00:11.087Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The nutrition transition in Egypt: obesity, undernutrition and the food consumption context

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2006

Osman M Galal
Osman M Galal*
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, University of California, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
*
*Corresponding author: Email ogalal@ucla.edu
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objectives:

To describe changing food consumption patterns in Egypt over the last several decades, current levels of overweight and obesity, and current data on obesity-related morbidity.

Design:

Secondary analysis and synthesis of existing data from national-level food consumption surveys, large recent surveys of hypertension and diabetes, and documentation of historical and policy context.

Setting:

Arab Republic of Egypt.

Subjects:

As selected and described in primary data sources.

Results and conclusions: The nutrition transition in Egypt has occured in the context of abundant dietary energy availability, urbanisation and moderate fat intakes. The prevalence of obesity in adults is very high, particularly among women. The prevalences of diabetes mellitus and of hypertension parallel that of obesity, and both are very high. Little information is available on physical activity, but it is likely that a large proportion of the population is quite sedentary, particularly in the cities. At the same time, rates of early childhood malnutrition remain stubbornly stable and relatively high. Public awareness of the increasing prevalence of obesity and of diet-related chronic disease is increasing, and attention has turned to documenting the problem(s).

Keywords

Nutrition transitionEgyptFood consumption
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 5 , Issue 1a , February 2002 , pp. 141 - 148
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

References

1El Zanaly, F, Sayed, HAA, Zaky, H, Way, A. Egypt Demographic and Health Survey 1996. Calverton, MD: National Population Council, Arab Republic of Egypt and Macro International, 1996.Google Scholar
2Ministry of Supply and Home Trade. The Egyptian Food Problem and Solution. Cairo: Ministry of Supply and Home Trade, February 1988.Google Scholar
3York, ET, Pluchnett, D, Yougbos, H. The National Agricultural Research Project's Contribution to Significant Advances in Egyptian Agriculture. Gainesville, FL: Tropical Research and Development, Inc., 1994.Google Scholar
4Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Economics Research Institute (Cairo). Agricultural Economics Bulletin 1983; 10.Google Scholar
5Harik, I. Subsidization policies in Egypt: neither economic growth nor distribution. Int. J. Middle East Studies 1992; 24: 481–99.Google Scholar
6Ministry of Health. Report of the Permanent Nutrition Committee (PNC), Egypt, 1939–1946. Cairo: Ministry of Health, 1948.Google Scholar
7Abdou, IA, Amr, MAK. Nutritional conditions in Sinai': I. Available foods, food habits and daily dietary intake of different population groups in Sinai'. Bull. Nutr. Inst. (Cairo) 1966; 2: 10–25.Google Scholar
8Patwardhan, VN, Darby, WJ. In: Darby, WJ, ed. The State of Nutrition in the Arab Middle East. Nashville TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 1972.Google Scholar
9Nutrition Institute. Studies of Food Consumption Patterns of the Egyptian Citizen. Cairo: Nutrition Institute, 1981.Google Scholar
10Nutrition Institute. Food Consumption Pattern and Nutrient Intake among Different Population Groups in Egypt. Cairo: Nutrition Institute, 1998.Google Scholar
11Khorshid, A, Ibrahim, N, Galal, O, Harrison, G. Development of food consumption monitoring system in Egypt. Adv. Agric. Res. Egypt 1998; 1(3): 163–217.Google Scholar
12Harrison, GG, Galal, O, Ibrahim, N, Stormer, A, Khorshid, A, Leslie, J. Lack of underreporting of food intake in a large sample of Egyptian women. J. Nutr. 2000; 130: 2049–54.Google Scholar
13Ibrahim, B, Sallam, S, El Tawila, S, Gibali, O, El Sahn, F. Transitions to Adulthood: A National Survey of Egyptian Adolescents, 2nd ed. Cairo: The Palm Press, 2000.Google Scholar
14El-Zeiny, NA, Mostafa, SRA, Moamen, MH. Study of obesity among secondary students in Alexandria. Alexandria J Pediatr. 1999; 13(2): 397–406.Google Scholar
15Ismail, GMN. Study of obesity among school students in Alexandria. Unpublished DrPH thesis, Alexandria University, High Institute of Public Health, 1996.Google Scholar
16Hafez, AS, Salem, SI, Cole, TS, Galal, OM, Masoud, A. Sexual maturation and growth pattern in Egyptian boys. Ann. Hum. Biol. 1981; 8: 461–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17El-Prince, MY. A study of prevalence and etiological factors of obesity among adults in Alexandria. Unpublished MPH thesis, Alexandria University, High Institute of Public Health, 1987.Google Scholar
18Herman, WA, Ali, MA, Aubert, RE, Engelgau, MM, Kenny, SJ, Gunter, EW, et al. Diabetes mellitus in Egypt: risk factors and prevalence. Diabet. Med. 1995; 12: 1126–31.Google Scholar
19World Health Organization, Eastern Mediterranean Region Office, Alexandria, 1999.Google Scholar
20Ibrahim, MM. Epidemiology of hypertension in Egypt. Saudi J. Kidney Dis. Transplant. 1999; 10(3): 352–6.Google Scholar
21Arab, M. Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus in Egypt. Egyptian J. Diabet. 1997; 2(1): 1–14.Google Scholar
22El Hattab, OH, Nouh, MA. Epidemiology of cancer. In: El Bolkainy, MN, ed. Topographic Pathology of Cancer. Cairo: National Cancer Institute, 2000.Google Scholar
23Khan, LK, Harrison, GG, Galal, OM, Ritenbaugh, C, Shaheen, FM, Kirksey, A, Jerome, NW. Prevalence and functional correlates of obesity in an Egyptian Village. Ecol. Food Nutr. 1996; 34: 311–25.Google Scholar
24Galal, OM. Paper presented at the Middle East Studies AssociationSan Francisco, CANovember 1997Google Scholar
25Basyouny, IF. Just a Gaze: Female Clientele of Diet Clinics in Cairo: An Ethnomedical Study. Cairo: American University Press, 1998.Google Scholar
26Al-Nuaim, AA, Bamgboye, EJ, Al-Rubeaan, KA, Al-Mazrou, Y. Overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabian adult population: role of sociodemographic factors. J. Community Health 1997; 22: 211–23.Google Scholar