title: Diet in Saudi Arabia: findings from a nationally representative survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No recent original studies on the pattern of diet are available for Saudi Arabia at the national level. The present study was performed to describe the consumption of foods and beverages by Saudi adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Saudi Health Interview Survey (SHIS) was conducted in 2013. Data were collected through interviews and anthropometric measurements were done. A diet history questionnaire was used to determine the amount of consumption for eighteen food or beverage items in a typical week.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a household survey in all thirteen administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 10 735 individuals aged 15 years or older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean daily consumption was 70·9 (se 1·3) g for fruits, 111·1 (se 2·0) g for vegetables, 11·6 (se 0·3) g for dark fish, 13·8 (se 0·3) g for other fish, 44·2 (se 0·7) g for red meat, 4·8 (se 0·2) g for processed meat, 10·9 (se 0·3) g for nuts, 219·4 (se 5·1) ml for milk and 115·5 (se 2·6) ml for sugar-sweetened beverages. Dietary guideline recommendations were met by only 5·2 % of individuals for fruits, 7·5 % for vegetables, 31·4 % for nuts and 44·7 % for fish. The consumption of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages was high in young adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a small percentage of the Saudi population met the dietary recommendations. Programmes to improve dietary behaviours are urgently needed to reduce the current and future burden of disease. The promotion of healthy diets should target both the general population and specific high-risk groups. Regular assessments of dietary status are needed to monitor trends and inform interventions.
authors.affiliation: 1Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington,2301 5th Avenue,Suite 600,Seattle,WA 98121,USA.
authors.forename: Maziar
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7381-5305
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moradi-Lakeh
authors.affiliation: 1Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington,2301 5th Avenue,Suite 600,Seattle,WA 98121,USA.
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: El Bcheraoui
authors.affiliation: 1Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington,2301 5th Avenue,Suite 600,Seattle,WA 98121,USA.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afshin
authors.affiliation: 1Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington,2301 5th Avenue,Suite 600,Seattle,WA 98121,USA.
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.affiliation: 2Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: AlMazroa
authors.affiliation: 2Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Saeedi
authors.affiliation: 2Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basulaiman
authors.affiliation: 2Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.affiliation: 2Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Rabeeah
authors.affiliation: 1Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington,2301 5th Avenue,Suite 600,Seattle,WA 98121,USA.
authors.forename: Ali H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mokdad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008461:Meat Products; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners
keywords: Beverages; Diet; Foods; Nutrition epidemiology; Saudi Arabia