Is the Mediterranean diet still a cultural heritage in Lebanon and Tunisia? Evaluation of the long-term changes in food consumption and deviation from the Mediterranean diet

摘要

While the scientific community has identified the Mediterranean diet (MD) as an example of a sustainable diet with health benefits and protective effects against chronic nutrition-related diseases (CND), this diet is also defined as a cultural heritage with specific local variations.Tunisia and Lebanon are typical of Mediterranean countries that are facing a nutrition transition characterized by a decrease in undernutrition and an increase in obesity and associated CND (estimated to account for 82 percent of total deaths in Tunisiaand 85 percent in Lebanon), highlighting the importance of promoting healthy diets adapted to the local context.