Nutritional knowledge and dietary practices among young Arab adults: disparities and predictors

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nutritional knowledge and practices are crucial factors contributing to overall health in populations. However, a disconnect between nutritional knowledge and healthy dietary habits has been noted in the literature, particularly among younger adults. Thus, the study aims to assess nutritional knowledge and practices among young adults across selected Arab countries. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted among young Arab aged between 18 and 25 years living in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Maghreb Arab countries (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia), Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire. RESULTS: In total, 2,582 participants were included in the study, 20% of whom live in Iraq and 20% in Saudi Arabia. Most female participants (29.46%) were from Saudi Arabia, whereas male participants were primarily from Egypt (35.40%). The findings indicated that 43.38% of the sample had a satisfactory level of knowledge about healthy diets, while 24.05% had a poor level of knowledge. In addition, most of the sample demonstrated unhealthy dietary habits (42.06%), with the highest percentage (55.99%) observed among participants residing in Saudi Arabia. Factors including age, gender, marital status, and country of residence were found associated with the healthiness of dietary practices. CONCLUSION: Nutritional knowledge varied across different Arab countries, and dietary patterns showed significant differences among the countries included in the study.