Study on Eating Habits and Physical Activity Status in Turkey

Authors

  • Nazif Bagriacik Turkish Association for the Study of Obesity (TASO), Celal Oker Sokak No 10 Harbiye Istanbul, Turkey
  • Funda Elmacioglu Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences, Kartal Yerleşkesi, 34865 Cevizli, Kartal Istanbul, Turkey
  • Sule Sakar Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Bilgi University Faculty of Health Sciences, Kurtuluş Deresi Caddesi, Yahya Köprüsü Sokak No: 1, 34440 Dolapdere, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Ceren Yolacan Turkish Association for the Study of Obesity (TASO), Celal Oker Sokak No 10 Harbiye Istanbul, Turkey
  • Sema Yildiz Turkish Association for the Study of Obesity (TASO), Celal Oker Sokak No 10 Harbiye Istanbul, Turkey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-5634.2013.02.04.4

Keywords:

Nutrition, physical activity, obesity

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate eating habits and physical activity status of Turkish population, and to determine nutritional changes. This study was conducted in 12 provinces of 11 regions of NUTS level 1 via a face-to-face interview using a pre-prepared questionnaire and included 1536 subjects aged >15 years with different socioeconomic statuses who eat out at least once in a month.

Of the subjects, 33.6% were overweight, 18.4% were obese and 48% had normal weight.

BMI

%

Overweight

33.6%

Obese

18.4%

Normal Weight

48.0%

The rates of subjects calculating calorie intake (8.4%) and reading nutrition facts label (29.1%) were increased with increasing BMI.

 The most frequently consumed foods were bread, cheese and olive at breakfast, bread, soup, salad, yoghurt, and pilaf at lunch and toast, sandwiches, and Turkish bagels at snacks.

Breakfast

Average(Monthly)

Bread

25.8

Cheese

25.0

Olive

22.8

 

Lunch

Average(Monthly)

Bread

26.1

Salad

17.7

Soup

16.4

Yoghurt

10.4

Pilaf

9.6

 

Snack

%

Toast

33.4

Turkish Bagels

26.3

Sandwiches

25.8

The mean duration of meals was <30 min in 85.8% of the subjects.

Duration Of Meals

%

0-15 minutes

22.7

16-30 minutes

63.3

30 minutes and more

14.1

The most commonly consumed non-alcoholic beverages were tea (95.7%), coffee (58.7%), Turkish yoghurt drink (56.1%), and carbonated beverages (48.3%). Milk consumption was low (20.2%).

Non-alcoholic Beverages

%

Tea

95.7%

Coffee

58.7%

Turkish Yoghurt Drink

56.1%

Carbonated Beverages

48.3%

Milk

20.2%

Alcohol consumption rate was 26.6%. The rate of subjects doing sports was 14.8%, which decreased with increasing age and BMI. In Turkish population, eating habits continued to be traditional, eating awareness and the rate of sport activities were very low.

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Published

2013-12-30

How to Cite

Bagriacik, N., Elmacioglu, F., Sakar, S., Yolacan, C., & Yildiz, S. (2013). Study on Eating Habits and Physical Activity Status in Turkey. Journal of Nutritional Therapeutics, 2(4), 201–212. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-5634.2013.02.04.4

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