Nasreddine Lara, Chamieh Marie Claire, Ayoub Jennifer, Hwalla Nahla, Sibai Abla-Mehio, Naja Farah
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Nutr J. 2020 Mar 26;19(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s12937-020-00543-x.
Little is known about sex-based dietary differences in middle-income countries, particularly those undergoing the nutrition transition. This study aims at examining sex disparities in energy and macronutrients' intakes, food consumption patterns, and micronutrients' adequacy in Lebanon, while adopting a life course approach.
Data were derived from a national cross-sectional survey conducted in Lebanon in 2008/2009. The study sample consisted of 3636 subjects: 956 children and adolescents aged 6-19.9 years; 2239 adults aged 20-59.9 years and 441 older adults aged above 60 years. At the households, trained nutritionists conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to complete a sociodemographic questionnaire and one 24-h diet recall. Food items were categorized into 25 food groups. The Nutritionist Pro software was used for the analysis of dietary intake data and the estimation of energy, macronutrients', and micronutrients' intakes.
In all age groups, males had significantly higher energy intakes, while females had significantly higher fiber intakes. In addition, in adolescents aged 12-19.9 years, females had higher fat intakes as compared to males (37.02 ± 0.6% vs 35.03 ± 0.61%), and in adults aged 20-59.9 years, females had significantly higher total fat (37.73 ± 0.33% vs 36.45 ± 0.38%) and saturated fat intakes (11.24 ± 0.15% vs 10.45 ± 0.18%). These differences in macronutrient intakes were not observed in younger children nor in older adults. Sex-based differences in food groups' intakes were also observed: men and boys had significantly higher intakes of red and processed meat, bread, fast food, soft drinks, and alcohol, while girls and women had higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, milk, and sweets. In all age groups, females had lower micronutrient intakes compared to males, including calcium, iron, and zinc.
This study identified sex-specific priorities that ought to be tackled by context-specific interventions to promote healthier diets in Lebanon. The fact that sex-based differences in nutrient intakes and food consumption patterns were the most noticeable in the adolescent and adult years, hence women's reproductive years call for concerted efforts to improve nutrition for women and girls as this would lay the foundation not only for their future education, productivity, and economic empowerment, but also for the health of future generations.
关于中等收入国家基于性别的饮食差异，尤其是那些正在经历营养转型的国家，人们了解甚少。本研究旨在采用生命历程方法，研究黎巴嫩在能量和宏量营养素摄入、食物消费模式以及微量营养素充足性方面的性别差异。
数据来源于2008/2009年在黎巴嫩进行的一项全国性横断面调查。研究样本包括3636名受试者：956名6至19.9岁的儿童和青少年；2239名20至59.9岁的成年人以及441名60岁以上的老年人。在家庭中，经过培训的营养师与参与者进行面对面访谈，以完成一份社会人口统计学问卷和一次24小时饮食回顾。食物项目被分为25个食物组。使用营养师专业软件分析饮食摄入数据，并估算能量、宏量营养素和微量营养素的摄入量。
在所有年龄组中，男性的能量摄入量显著更高，而女性的纤维摄入量显著更高。此外，在12至19.9岁的青少年中，女性的脂肪摄入量高于男性（37.02±0.6%对35.03±0.61%），在20至59.9岁的成年人中，女性的总脂肪摄入量（37.73±0.33%对36.45±0.38%）和饱和脂肪摄入量（11.24±0.15%对10.45±0.18%）显著更高。在年幼儿童和老年人中未观察到这些宏量营养素摄入的差异。在食物组摄入量方面也观察到了基于性别的差异：男性和男孩的红肉、加工肉、面包、快餐、软饮料和酒精摄入量显著更高，而女孩和女性的水果、蔬菜、牛奶和甜食摄入量更高。在所有年龄组中，女性的微量营养素摄入量低于男性，包括钙、铁和锌。
本研究确定了黎巴嫩应通过针对具体情况的干预措施来解决的针对性别的优先事项，以促进更健康的饮食。基于性别的营养素摄入和食物消费模式差异在青少年和成年期最为明显，因此，鉴于女性的生育年龄，需要共同努力改善妇女和女孩的营养状况，因为这不仅将为她们未来的教育、生产力和经济赋权奠定基础，也将为后代的健康奠定基础。
