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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
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Abstract

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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

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