Nutritional status and prevalence of diet-related non-communicable diseases in a group of Lebanese adults

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 adult Lebanese subjects (200 females and 200 males) 20 to 85 years of age to determine baseline characteristics (anthropometric, biochemical, certain nutrients and energy intakes, behavior type, activity level and socioeconomic status and to evaluate their relation to the incidence of eight well known diet-related non-communicable chronic diseases. Current weight (wt) as of the desirable body wt increased with age for females (F) but not for males (M), but body fat, body mass index (BMI), sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold sites increased with age for both sexes. Thus, about one-third of both M and F (20-39 years of age) and 68 of F and 41 of M (40 years and above) were considered obese. Concerning lifestyle habits, both the M and F subjects in this cohort belonged to middle and lower socioeconomic classes, a higher percentage were having the stressful coronary-prone (type A) behavior pattern and the majority were relatively inactive in their lifestyle habits. Prevalence, frequency and duration of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were higher among M as compared to F. A significant proportion of F(12) and of M (21) were current hubble bubble smokers. Nutrients and energy intakes on a subsample (58 F and 110 M) showed for both sexes the following: mean energy intakes close to energy requirements, protein intake significantly higher than recommended sources, a low dietary fiber intake (3-7g/d), low intake (7 energy) of polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), and moderate intake (14-18 energy) of monounsaturated fat (MUFA), low cholesterol intake (255mg/d, higher for M vs F) and moderate caffeine intake. For the vitamin and mineral status, vit A and C intakes were more adequate than folate intakes, and iron and calcium intakes were more sufficient than zinc or iodine intakes for both sexes. The most prevalent diet-related non-communicable diseases in this cohort population were hypertension (22F,23M), diabetes (13.5 F, 16.5 M), hypercholesterolemia (13.5F, 11.5 M), heart disease (12.5 F, 8 M), combined kidney and gallbladder stones (20 F, 17 M), anemia (16 F, 1M), goiter (14 F, 2.5 M), and obesity (52.3 F, 37 M). For the association between baseline characteristics and incidence of diseases, certain factors have been consistently and significantly associated to risk of development of many of the disorders. Like age greater than or equal 40yr and systolic blood pressure greater than or equal 15mm Hg associated to six disease; body mass index and high body fat to five diseases; a large body frame size and elevated plasma glucose to four diseases; and sex (being a female) to three diseases out of a total of eight