The Altering Dietary Pattern of Turkey

Abstract

Aim: This study was planned and carried out in order to evaluate the intake of energy, macro and micro nutrients in the Turkish population and examine the changing nutritional pattern as a results of the nutrition and health studies conducted in the last 43 years in Turkiye.

Subjects and Method: In this study, the average body mass index, dietary energy and nutrient intakes, and food groups consumption amounts obtained from nutrition and health studies conducted in Turkiye in 1974, 1984, 2010 and 2017 were used and evaluated.

Results: The intake of energy, carbohydrates, and thiamine declined dramatically between 1974 and 1984, although the intake of the majority of nutrients increased, according to the findings of a study conducted in 2017. When the findings of studies conducted between 2010 and 2017 were analyzed, it was revealed that the intakes of energy and most nutrients were comparable, the intake of vitamin C decreased, and the intake of total protein and calcium increased significantly. It has been observed that the consumption of bread and cereals has declined over time, while the consumption of meat-chicken-fish has risen and reached its peak in 2017. Since 1984, the percentage of obese men and women has grown, reaching its highest level in 2017 (M: 25.1%; F: 39.3%).

Conclusion: The data obtained from the nutrition and health researches carried out in Turkiye reflect the parallelism between increasing obesity and changing eating patterns. It is considered that this increase in the prevalence of obesity, which is a multifactorial problem, is due to the decrease in the consumption of bread and cereals, vegetables and fruits, and the increase in the consumption of fats. This has resulted in an increase in dietary fat intake and a decrease in vitamin C; has also increased the percentage of energy from fat over the years.