ABSTRACT
The traditional Middle Eastern diet has been typically described as a nutritionally balanced diet, given its abundance in fresh fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains. It was also reported to have a healthy fatty acid profile, being low in saturated fats, and high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. As people in the Middle East have become more exposed to processed foods and foods from other cultures, local traditional diets have been increasingly side-lined, being progressively replaced by modern or novel products that are typically higher in fat, especially saturated and trans-fatty acids. These shifts in dietary patterns have been paralleled by significant increases in the prevalence and burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases, which are increasingly crippling the economies of countries in the region. The reduction of saturated and trans-fat intake in countries of the ME has been given priority by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly, policies, including regulatory and food reformulation measures to remove TFAs and reduce saturated fats in the food supply have been highlighted as priority areas for intervention. More efforts are needed to ensure proper implementation and evaluation of policies and ongoing programs in countries of the region.
