scholarly journals Dietary trends in the Middle East and North Africa: an ecological study (1961 to 2007)

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1835-1844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdieh Golzarand ◽  
Parvin Mirmiran ◽  
Mahsa Jessri ◽  
Karamollah Toolabi ◽  
Mehdi Mojarrad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Study Results ◽  
North African Countries

AbstractObjectiveMiddle Eastern and North African countries are undergoing nutrition transition, a transition which is associated with an increased burden of non-communicable diseases. This necessitates the evaluation of dietary patterns in these regions. The present study aimed to assess changes in dietary patterns in Middle Eastern and North African countries between 1961 and 2007.DesignAvailability of energy and fifteen main food items during 1961–2007 was examined using FAO food balance sheets from the FAOSTAT database.SettingFifteen countries including nine in the Middle East and six in North Africa were selected and the average availability of total energy and different food items in these regions were compared.ResultsOver the 47 years studied, energy and food availability (apart from animal fats and alcoholic beverages) has increased in the Middle East and North Africa. In both regions the proportion of energy derived from meat and vegetable oils has increased significantly while that from cereals decreased significantly. In addition, the proportion of energy from milk and dairy products and vegetables has shown an ascending trend in North Africa while the proportion of energy from fruits has shown a descending trend in the Middle East.ConclusionsThe study results reveal an unfavourable trend towards a Westernized diet in the Middle East and, to a certain extent, in North Africa. Tailored nutritional education encouraging healthy eating for prevention of the burden of chronic diseases in these countries seems essential.

scholarly journals Determinants of Total Factor Productivity in the Middle East and North Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Raggl
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Total Factor Productivity ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Output Growth ◽  
Factor Productivity ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
North African Countries

AbstractA decomposition of output growth rates of Middle Eastern and North African countries shows that the contributions of human capital-augmented labor and physical capital to output growth are comparably small and stable over time and that in most countries a considerable share of output growth is attributed to growth in total factor productivity. This paper empirically assesses the determinants of total factor productivity in the Middle East and North Africa region between 1980 and 2009. The findings suggest that human capital is not only an input factor of production but also a quantity that changes the efficiency by which existing input factors are used. Domestic innovations appear to be efficient only if a certain level of educational attainment is reached by a country. In addition, human capital contributes to the ability of efficient adoption of technology from abroad and allows a faster catch-up with technological leaders. Globalization, in combination with a (comparably low) threshold endowment of human capital, is estimated to increase total factor productivity in Middle Eastern and North African countries.

scholarly journals Prediabetes management in the Middle East, Africa and Russia: Current status and call for action

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Helmy Assaad Khalil ◽  
Sulaf Ibrahim Abdelaziz ◽  
Affaf Al Shammary ◽  
Ali Al Zahrani ◽  
Ashraf Amir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
National Level ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Current Status ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
North African Countries

Most data on the burden of diabetes and prediabetes are from countries where local infrastructure can support reliable estimates of the burden of non-communicable diseases. Countries in the Middle East and Africa, together with Russia, have a total population of almost 2 billion, but have been relatively overlooked by authors in this field. We reviewed the prevalence and drivers of prediabetes and diabetes across this large region. A large, and variable, burden of dysglycaemia exists, especially in Middle Eastern and North African countries, associated with high levels of obesity and sedentariness, with a generally lower prevalence in most other parts of Africa. The design and size of studies are highly variable, and more research to quantify the scale of the problem is needed. Local barriers to care relating to issues concerned with gender, consanguinity, lack of understanding of diabetes, lack of understanding of obesity as a health issue, and limited resource at a national level for tracking and intervention for diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. Lifestyle interventions with proven local cost-effectiveness, enhanced access to pharmacologic intervention, and societal interventions to promote better diet and more activity will be an important element in strategies to combat these adverse trends.

Aid to the Middle East will fall far short of needs

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Migration Patterns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
North African Countries ◽  
In Transit

Significance The UN is seeking an additional USD10.3bn in donations to combat the pandemic worldwide, with around one-fifth earmarked for the Middle East. Impacts An upsurge in migration to Europe would put new pressure on resources in transit as well as destination countries. Internal rural-urban migration patterns may be disrupted as poverty rises. Low oil prices will reduce aid and worker remittances from Gulf states to poorer Middle Eastern countries. A failure to contain COVID-19 in Middle East and North African countries could contribute to new waves in Europe and elsewhere. A change in US administration after the November elections could lead to a reversal of recent decisions cutting support to UN aid agencies.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa. Old demons in a new bottle

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Social Conflicts ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
North African Countries

The paper presents the strategies of Middle East and North African countries in coping with COVID-19 pandemic in the first months of spring/summer 2020. It offers a categorisation of strategies basing on the available assets the countries have and political situation. According to this categorisation there are countries in which the pandemic is one more burden to bear that makes the current political or economic situation even worse (countries torn by war or serious internal social conflicts); countries that cope with the pandemic as good as it gets – taking their institutional capacities (Egypt and Morocco); the too rich to fail category of GCC countries, and two possible success stories (by that time Jordan and Tunisia).

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology in Middle East and North Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pouria Heydarpour ◽  
Shayan Khoshkish ◽  
Shabnam Abtahi ◽  
Maziar Moradi-Lakeh ◽  
Mohammad Ali Sahraian
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Population Based ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
North African Countries

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders and a leading cause of nontraumatic disability in young adults in many countries. Recent reports from the Middle East and North Africa have suggested a moderate to high risk of MS in these countries. Methods: A literature search was performed in August 2014 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and IMEMR to retrieve original population-based studies on MS epidemiology in the Middle East and North African countries published between 1st January 1985 and 1st August 2014. We designed search strategies using the key words: MS, prevalence, incidence, and epidemiology. According to the inclusion criteria, 52 studies were included in this systematic review. Results: McDonald's criteria were the most widely used diagnostic criteria in the studies. Most studies were conducted in single hospital-based centers with a defined catchment area. The female/male ratio ranged from 0.8 in Oman to 4.3 in Saudi Arabia. MS prevalence ranged from 14.77/100,000 population in Kuwait (2000) to 101.4/100,000 in Turkey (2006). The overall MS prevalence in the region was 51.52/100,000. The mean age at disease onset ranged from 25.2 years in Kuwait to 32.5 years in Northeastern Iran, with an overall estimate of 28.54 years. Conclusions: Recent advances in MS registries will allow nation-wide studies and temporal comparisons between countries, provided that age- and sex-standardized estimates are available.

Impact of Peace and Economic Freedom on the Prosperity of Middle East and North African Countries

2018 ◽  
pp. 50-65
Author(s):  
Yilmaz Bayar
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
North African Countries

Significant improvements have been experienced in global prosperity in the recent years, but there have been considerable differences at prosperity levels of different regions. Western Europe and North Africa were the most prosperous regions of the world in 2017, while Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East and North Africa were the least prosperous regions of the world in 2017. However, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa are also the least peaceful regions of the world. In this regard, this chapter analyzes the effect of peace and economic freedom on prosperity in Middle East and North African countries with panel data analysis. The results of empirical analysis revealed that both peace and economic freedom are significant determinants of prosperity.

scholarly journals Environmental Performance and Economic Growth in Middle East and North Africa Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hichem Dkhili
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Middle East ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
The Impact

Background. Studies on environmental performance/quality and economic growth show inconclusive results. Objective. The aim of the present study is to assess the non-linear relationship between environmental performance and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 2002–2018. Methods. A sample of fourteen (14) MENA countries was used in the present analysis. However, due to important differences between countries in this region, the whole sample was divided into two sub-samples; nine Middle Eastern countries (MEAS) and five North African countries (NAF). We performed the panel smooth transition regression model as an econometric approach. Discussion. Empirical results indicate a threshold effect in the environmental performance and economic growth relationship. The threshold value differs from one group of countries to another. More specifically, we found that the impact of environmental performance and economic growth is positive and significant only if a certain threshold level has been attained. Until then, the effect remains negative. Conclusions. The findings of the present study are of great importance for policymakers since they determine the optimal level of environmental performance required to act positively on the level of economic growth. MENA countries should seek to improve their environmental performance index in order to grow output. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

scholarly journals Acordos entre Espanha e países do Norte da África como mecanismos de controle das migrações irregulares nos anos 2000 | Agreements between Spain and North African countries as a mechanism of irregular migration control in the 2000s

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. e59962
Author(s):  
Ana Beatriz Da Costa Mangueira ◽  
Filipe Reis Melo
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Security ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
North African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Foreign Labor ◽  
The Moment ◽  
North African Countries ◽  
The Relationship

Este artigo analisa como a Espanha securitizou fluxos migratórios irregulares do Norte da África na primeira década dos anos 2000. Esse processo realizou-se com medidas de segurança nas fronteiras, especialmente nas regiões de Ceuta e Melila. Por outro lado, os governos espanhóis ao longo daquela década reavivaram acordos firmados com os africanos ainda nos anos 1990 para readmissão de migrantes e para admissão de indivíduos no mercado de trabalho espanhol. A relação entre Espanha e países africanos foi contraditória, pois enquanto se buscava conter as migrações indesejadas, pretendia-se usar a mão de obra estrangeira para reduzir os custos trabalhistas. Essas contradições são influenciadas pela presença da União Europeia que delibera e atua na temática de migrações na região, um assunto que tem sido um dos principais interesses da agenda de segurança europeia nos últimos anos. Palavras-Chave: Espanha. Fluxos migratórios. Norte da África. ABSTRACTThis paper analyses how Spain securitized irregular migratory flows from North Africa in the 2000s first decade. This process was carried out by security actions at the borders, specially at Ceuta and Melilla regions. On other hand, over the years of 2000s Spanish governments renewed agreements that were signed with Africans in the 1990s to foster readmission of migrants and promote the admission of individuals to the Spanish labor market. Furthermore, the relationship between Spain and African countries was inconsistent due to the fact that at the moment which the contention of unwanted migration was the focus, it was intended to use foreign labor to reduce labor costs. These contradictions are influenced by the presence of the European Union, which deliberates and acts on the issue of migration in the region, a subject that has been one of the main interests of the European security agenda in recent years. Keywords: Spain. Migration flows. North Africa. Recebido em: 24 mai. 2021 | Aceito em: 01 out. 2021.

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