Background: Improving food and nutrition literacy is fundamental to tackling the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s enormous challenges, including malnutrition and food insecurity. To direct initiatives, it is crucial to assess the region’s food and nutrition literacy. Thus, we aimed to review studies on food/nutrition literacy status in the MENA countries and illuminate the region’s research gaps in these areas, in terms of assessment, policy, and program implementation. Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched between 18 December and 8 May 2022, to identify relevant articles published up to 2022 in the MENA region. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. Lebanon, Palestine, and Iran are the only three MENA countries where nutrition and/or food literacy were assessed. People in these countries mostly had inadequate food and/or nutrition literacy levels, especially in the skills rather than the cognitive domain. Food and/or nutrition literacy showed associations with food habits, food-label use, food-consumption patterns, school performance, food security, dietary diversity, and nutrient adequacy. The MENA countries developed no policies or programs to address food and nutrition literacy. Conclusion: This review is a wake-up call for researchers and policymakers to develop a robust approach to combat food and nutrition literacy concerns in the MENA region.

Background: With increasing global rates of overweight, obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) along with undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is no exception. This review focuses on specific nutrition parameters among under five years children, namely ever breastfed, exclusive breastfeeding, mixed milk feeding, continued breastfeeding, bottle feeding, introduction of solid, semi-solid, or soft foods and malnutrition. Methodology: PubMed, Google Scholar, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) databases, World Health Organization (WHO) databases, the World Bank databases and the Global Nutrition Report databases were explored between 10 January and 6 June 2022, to review the nutrition situation among under five years children in the EMR. Results: The regional average prevalence of ever breastfed, exclusive breastfeeding, mixed milk feeding, continued breastfeeding, bottle feeding, introduction of solid, semi-solid, or soft foods was estimated at 84.3%, 30.9%, 42.9%, 41.5%, 32.1% and 69.3%, respectively. Iran, Iraq, Libya and Palestine have seen a decline over time in the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reported early introduction of infant formula. Moreover, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates were seen to introduce food early to the child, at between 4–6 months of age. The estimated weighted regional averages for stunting, wasting and underweight were 20.3%, 8.9% and 13.1%, respectively. Of concern is the increasing prevalence of stunting in Libya. As for overweight and obesity, the average prevalence was reported to be 8.9% and 3%, respectively. Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait and Palestine showed an increased trend throughout this time. Conclusions: In this review, the suboptimal infant and young child feeding patterns and the twofold incidence of malnutrition in the EMR are highlighted and we urge the prioritizing of measures to improve children’s nutrition.

Sub-optimal feeding practices among under-5 children are the major drivers of malnutrition. This study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and the factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and complementary feeding practices among under 5 children amid the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the economic and the political crises in Lebanon. A nationally representative stratified random sample of mother–child dyads (n = 511) was collected from households using a stratified cluster sampling design. The survey inquired about infant’s feeding and complementary feeding practices using a valid questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of the mother and child were collected. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore the determinants associated with under-5 children’s practices. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight and obese children was 0.5%, 8.4%, 6.7%, 16.8% and 8.9%, respectively. In total, among under-5 children, the prevalence of ever breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and bottle feeding at birth was 95.1%, 59.1% and 25.8%, respectively. Half the children in this study started solid foods between 4 and 6 months. Regression analysis showed that supporting breastfeeding at hospital (aOR = 8.20, 95% CI (3.03–22.17)) and husband’s support (aOR = 3.07, 95% CI (1.9–4.92)) were associated with increased breastfeeding odds. However, mother’s occupation (aOR = 0.18, 95% CI (0.55–0.58)) was inversely associated with breastfeeding practices. Male children (aOR = 2.119, 95% CI (1.37–3.27), mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI (0.35–0.95)), and bottle feeding at hospital (aOR = 0.5, 95% CI (0.32–0.77)) were more likely to induce early initiation of solid foods at 4 months of age. This study demonstrated non-negligible rates of malnutrition, low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding, and high rates of early introduction of formula feeding and solid foods among Lebanese under-5-children amid escalating crises.

Background: Food insecurity is the lack of access to nutritious healthy food due to economic and financial insufficiencies. Food insecurity is expected to be higher during these difficult times in Lebanon, which is facing many financial, political, economic and health debates. The present study aims to find the prevalence of food insecurity among Lebanese children during the COVID-19 pandemic and its correlates. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 4001 participants from all Lebanese governorates (March–April 2022). The Ministry of Education and Higher Education randomly disseminated the link to parents of children aged between 5 and 11 years from public and private schools. Results: The results showed that 1505 (37.6%) and 1497 (37.4%) had moderate and severe food insecurity. A significantly higher percentage of families with severe food insecurity was reported by fathers compared to mothers. In addition, participants who reported a bad overall health status of their children had a severe food insecurity. Moreover, those with a severe food insecurity had their children’s daily snacking habit between meals decreased, with a decreased quantity of meals, intake of vegetables/fruits, the intake of balanced diet, junk food, sugar-sweetened beverages, consumption of sweets/candies/chocolate, consumption of unhealthy food, intake of immunity-boosting food, intake of nutrition supplements, participation in the house chores, number of sleeping hours and sleep quality, as well as stress/anxiety decreased. Finally, a higher mean financial burden was seen in families with severe food insecurity compared to the other groups. Conclusion: The current study found a high prevalence of moderate to severe food insecurity among Lebanese children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food insecurity should be seriously discussed in Lebanon due to its rapid development in the middle of all the crises facing the country in order to avoid short and long term consequences on human’s health.

Over the last decade, there has been a rapid expansion of the trendy water pipe smoking around the world especially among younger adults. The initial objective of this study was to identify the microbiota of the shisha, which may either be of no harm for the smoker or enhance the threat on his well-being. The total DNA for the metagenomics study was conducted on three different shishas from three different delivery shops in Jounieh, Lebanon. The microbiota in two solid parts of the shisha, shaft and hose, were analysed including the fresh tobacco and the water in the bowl. All samples were analysed using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Overall, more than 40 bacterial genera were found in the three investigated shishas, some are commensal others are pathogenic. All three shishas showed similar microbial content regarding the bacteria inhabiting in water, shaft, or hose. From the results of this study it appears that a very large quantity of bacteria was found in the water pipes, some are harmful and others beneficial. We assume that the presence of gut dependent microbiota is related to the loose hygienic conditions in which the shisha is prepared.