Nutrition
Volume 26, Issue 1 , Pages 75-81, January 2010

Dietary intakes of essential nutrients among Arab and Berber ethnic groups on rural Tunisian island

  • Thouraya Baroudi, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Genetics, Immunology and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, El Manar II University, Tunis, Tunisia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +216-71-60-65-15; fax: +216-71-82-17-0.
    • ,
  • Hedi Ben Maiz, Ph.D., M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Hospital Charles Nicolle, Internal Medicine A, Tunis, Tunisia
    • ,
  • Hafaoua Kammoun Abid, Ph.D., M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Hospital Charles Nicolle, Internal Medicine A, Tunis, Tunisia
    • ,
  • Amel Benammar-Elgaaied, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Genetics, Immunology and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, El Manar II University, Tunis, Tunisia
    • ,
  • Leila Trabelsi Alouane, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • High School of the Sciences and Techniques of the Health of Tunis, University of Tunis II, Bab Suika BP 176, Tunis, Tunisia

Received 16 February 2008; accepted 18 May 2009. published online 29 July 2009.

Abstract 

Objective

The dietary intake was investigated and food sources were identified among Tunisian ethnic groups from Jerba Island in the south of Tunisia.

Methods

Ninety-four subjects of moderate socioeconomic status (47 Berbers and 47 Arabs) aged 32 to 64 y completed a 1-mo qualitative food-frequency questionnaire and a single 24-h dietary recall, and dietary intakes and demographic status were observed from 2006 to 2007.

Results

The prevalence of overweight and obesity was not significantly associated with Arab men compared with Berber men. Therefore, obesity was significantly associated with Berber women (P<0.001). Height was significantly different between Arab and Berber women (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in energy intake between men and women. Protein intake was not significantly different between ethnic groups. Milk and dairy products in the Berber group were significantly different from the Arab group. Intakes of calcium, zinc, iron, and folate were below recommended nutrient intakes in men and women in the two ethnic groups. Vitamin E intake was greater in Berbers than in Arabs (P<0.01).

Conclusion

Ethnicity was significantly associated with dietary intakes in the two ethnic groups of Jerba Island.

Keywords: Ethnicity, Dietary intake, Arabs, Berbers, Jerba Island

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PII: S0899-9007(09)00239-1

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2009.05.020

Nutrition
Volume 26, Issue 1 , Pages 75-81, January 2010

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