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


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnicity was significantly associated with dietary intakes in the two ethnic groups of Jerba Island.
Baroudi
Thouraya
T
Laboratory of Genetics, Immunology and Human Pathologies, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, El Manar II University, Tunis, Tunisia. Thourbar@yahoo.fr
Maiz
Hedi Ben
HB
Abid
Hafaoua Kammoun
HK
Benammar-Elgaaied
Amel
A
Alouane
Leila Trabelsi
LT
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018912:Arabs; D044383:Black People; D001827:Body Height / Q000208:ethnology; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000208:ethnology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D018977:Micronutrients; D014810:Vitamin E