Regional workshop on healthy diet with a focus on trans-fatty acid elimination

摘要

The Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World HealthOrganization (WHO) has experienced an epidemiologicaland nutritional transition in recent years. Peoplein the Region are now consuming more foods that arehigh in fats, free sugars or salt/sodium, while many donot eat enough fruit, vegetables and dietary fiber suchas wholegrains (1). This has contributed to high rates ofoverweight and obesity in the Region: nearly two-thirds(60.1%) of adult females and more than half (52.8%) ofadult males are overweight or obese (1). The Region alsosuffers from an early childhood overweight and obesityrate of 6.8% – well above the global average of 5.6%. Insome countries, more than 11% of children are affected.Furthermore, in many countries more than a quarter ofadolescents are overweight or obese (1).