Trends in nutritional intakes and nutrition-related cardiovascular disease risk factors in Lebanon: the need for immediate action.

AIM : To examine the burden of cardio- vascular disease (CVD) risk factors and their associa- tion with dietary variables in the Lebanese population while reviewing secular trends in the population's nu- tritional intakes and nutrition-related CVD risk factors. METHODS : Data on CVD risk factors and food con- sumption patterns in Lebanon were collected from scholarly papers, including individual studies and systematic review articles. Electronic databases were searched using combinations of key terms. RESULTS : The prevalence of obesity in Lebanon fol- lowed an alarming increasing trend over time, paral- leled by an escalation in the prevalence of hyperten- sion, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Food consumption surveys illustrate an increasing trend in energy intake and the proportion of energy derived from fat and animal products, with a concomitant decrease in car- bohydrates and cereals intakes. CONCLUSION : The shift towards an atherogenic diet coupled with the alarming increase in nutrition-related cardiovascular risk factors suggest that the Lebanese population is at an increased risk for CVDs. This should alert to the importance of formulating multi- component intervention strategies at both the indivi- dual and population levels to halt the progression of nutrition-related diseases in the country, while high- lighting the need for immediate public health efforts to promote the adoption of healthy dietary habits. RESUME • OBJECTIFS : Examiner la prevalence des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires, leur evolution temporelle ainsi que leurs associations avec les facteurs nutritionnels et les changements d'habitudes alimen- taires au sein de la population libanaise. METHODES : Les donnees concernant les facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires et les donnees sur la consom- mation alimentaire au Liban ont ete recueillies a partir des resultats d'etudes individuelles et de revues syste- matiques d'articles scientifiques publies. La recherche des bases de donnees electroniques a ete effectuee en combinant differents mots-cles.