Abstract

The goal of this study is to conduct an ecological analysis to examine the differences in diet and lifestyle between countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region identified as having a high, medium, and low prevalence of diabetes based on the regional average. Data sources included the International Diabetes Federation, World Health Organization, and The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. During the past few decades, rapid economic development, urbanization, and social and lifestyle changes have contributed to increase of diabetes prevalence in the MENA region. However, to date few analyses have utilized GDP, population, and food security data to investigate differences between countries inside the MENA region that have high, medium, and low prevalence of diabetes. On average, countries in the high diabetes prevalence group have higher GDP, lower population, and higher meat consumption than countries in the medium and low diabetes prevalence groups. Countries in the medium and low prevalence groups had significant increases in the consumption of kilocalories and fat from 1990-2007, while countries in the high prevalence group did not have any increases over time.