Background
Methods
Setting and Study population
Sociodemographic factors
Food and meals frequency questionnaire
Food frequency questionnaire(FFQ)
Food frequency intake score
Statistical analysis
Results
Description of the sample
Sociodemographic Factors
|
N
944
|
%
|
---|---|---|
Gender
| ||
Boys | 439 | 46.5 |
Girls | 505 | 53.5 |
Resident status
| ||
Local citizen | 372 | 39.6 |
Refugee | 568 | 60.4 |
Residential area
| ||
Gaza (well-off) | 379 | 40.1 |
Gaza (non-well-off) | 210 | 22.2 |
Village | 146 | 15.5 |
Camp | 209 | 22.1 |
Age in years
| ||
12 yrs | 161 | 17.1 |
13 yrs | 295 | 31.3 |
14 yrs | 312 | 33.1 |
15 yrs | 176 | 18.6 |
Crowding Index
| ||
≤ 3 persons/room | 610 | 71.8 |
> 3 persons/room | 240 | 28.2 |
Father's working Status
a
| ||
Unemployed | 430 | 46.2 |
Employed | 501 | 53.8 |
Household SES
b
| ||
low | 245 | 26.7 |
medium | 439 | 47.8 |
high | 234 | 25.5 |
Father's education
c
| ||
< 12 years | 486 | 52.8 |
12 – 14 years | 262 | 28.4 |
> 14 years | 173 | 18.8 |
Mother's education
d
| ||
< 12 years | 532 | 57.6 |
> 12 years | 391 | 42.4 |
Meal Patterns
Resident status
b
| Household SES
c
| Mother education
f
| |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total (%) | Local Citizen (n = 186) | Refugee (n = 253) | P | Low (n = 131) | Medium (n = 190) | high (n = 106) | p | Low (n = 242) | Medium /high (n = 184) | p | |
Meal pattern (7 t/w)
d
| |||||||||||
Breakfast | 65.6†
| 64.0 | 66.8 | 0.30 | 55.0 | 67.9 | 74.5 | 0.005 | 66.1 | 65.8 | 0.51 |
Lunch | 82.5†
| 81.7 | 83.0 | 0.41 | 75.6 | 84.7 | 86.8 | 0.04 | 78.1 | 88.0 | 0.005 |
Dinner | 49.5 | 47.8 | 50.6 | 0.32 | 45.8 | 51.1 | 50.9 | 0.61 | 51.7 | 46.2 | 0.15 |
3 meals/day | 41.9†
| 37.6 | 45.6 | 0.07 | 34.4 | 42.6 | 49.6 | 0.07 | 51.7 | 46.2 | 0.15 |
Snacks | 25.1 | 26.3 | 24.1 | 0.37 | 25.2 | 21.6 | 28.3 | 0.42 | 24.8 | 25.5 | 0.47 |
Food intake (weekly basis)
e
| |||||||||||
Beef (>3 t/w) | 7.3 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 0.41 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 10.4 | 0.42 | 6.2 | 8.2 | 0.28 |
Chicken (>3 t/w) | 3.4 | 1.1 | 5.1 | 0.02 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 8.5 | 0.005 | 2.1 | 5.4 | 0.05 |
Bread (≥ 20 t/w) | 76.1†
| 74.7 | 77.1 | 0.32 | 65.6 | 80.5 | 81.1 | 0.003 | 73.1 | 79.9 | 0.07 |
Cookies (≥ 7 t/w) | 14.6†
| 9.1 | 18.6 | 0.004 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 18.9 | 0.38 | 15.7 | 12.0 | 0.17 |
Soft drinks (≥ 7 t/w) | 6.2†
| 1.6 | 9.5 | <0.001 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 0.76 | 5.8 | 7.1 | 0.37 |
Eggs (≥ 7 t/w) | 13.9 | 5.9 | 19.8 | <0.001 | 15.3 | 11.6 | 17.0 | 0.39 | 11.6 | 16.3 | 0.10 |
Rice (≥ 7 t/w) | 6.8†
| 2.7 | 9.9 | 0.002 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 8.5 | 0.72 | 5.8 | 8.2 | 0.22 |
Fruits (≥ 7 t/w) | 11.6†
| 9.1 | 13.4 | 0.11 | 6.9 | 11.1 | 17.0 | 0.049 | 11.6 | 11.4 | 0.54 |
Juice (≥ 7 t/w) | 7.5†
| 3.8 | 10.3 | 0.005 | 4.6 | 6.8 | 13.1 | 0.04 | 6.6 | 9.2 | 0.20 |
Chocolates (≥ 7 t/w) | 10.7†
| 5.4 | 14.6 | 0.001 | 7.6 | 10.5 | 16.0 | 0.12 | 11.6 | 10.3 | 0.40 |
Yogurt (≥ 7 t/w) | 19.8 | 16.1 | 22.5 | 0.006 | 19.1 | 17.9 | 20.8 | 0.83 | 17.8 | 21.7 | 0.18 |
Vegetables (≥ 7 t/w) | 27.6†
| 21.0 | 32.4 | <0.001 | 25.2 | 30.0 | 27.4 | 0.63 | 28.1 | 27.1 | 0.51 |
Milk (≥ 7 t/w) | 33.7 | 31.2 | 35.5 | 0.19 | 31.3 | 31.1 | 39.6 | 0.28 | 34.7 | 33.2 | 0.41 |
Cheese (≥ 7 t/w) | 30.8 | 24.7 | 35.2 | 0.02 | 16.8 | 31.6 | 47.2 | <0.001 | 27.3 | 33.7 | 0.09 |
Legumes (≥ 7 t/w) | 18.9†
| 17.7 | 19.8 | 0.40 | 16.8 | 19.5 | 21.7 | 0.63 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 0.50 |
Tea (≥ 20 t/w) | 32.8 | 30.6 | 34.4 | 0.25 | 31.3 | 35.3 | 30.2 | 0.61 | 36.4 | 27.7 | 0.04 |
Resident status
b
| Household SES
c
| Mother education
f
| |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total (%) | Local Citizen (n = 186) | Refugee (n = 315) | P | Low (n = 114) | Medium (n = 249) | High (n = 128) | p | Low (n = 290) | Medium /high (n = 207) | p | |
Meal pattern (7 t/w)
d
| |||||||||||
Breakfast | 59.0†
| 57.0 | 60.3 | 0.26 | 45.6 | 61.4 | 65.6 | 0.003 | 57.2 | 59.9 | 0.31 |
Lunch | 87.7†
| 83.9 | 90.2 | 0.03 | 83.9 | 90.4 | 89.8 | 0.02 | 85.9 | 89.9 | 0.12 |
Dinner | 46.5 | 45.2 | 47.6 | 0.33 | 36.0 | 47.0 | 54.7 | 0.01 | 47.6 | 45.4 | 0.35 |
3 meals/day | 36.4†
| 32.8 | 38.7 | 0.11 | 21.1 | 38.6 | 46.1 | <0.001 | 47.6 | 45.4 | 0.35 |
Snacks | 21.1 | 18.8 | 22.2 | 0.21 | 14.0 | 22.5 | 20.8 | 0.13 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 0.53 |
Food intake (weekly basis)
e
| |||||||||||
Beef (>3 t/w) | 7.9 | 8.6 | 7.6 | 0.49 | 2.6 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 0.01 | 6.6 | 9.7 | 0.14 |
Chicken (>3 t/w) | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 0.40 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 7.0 | 0.04 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 0.57 |
Bread (≥ 20 t/w) | 68.9†
| 66.7 | 70.5 | 0.21 | 66.7 | 72.3 | 65.6 | 0.33 | 70.0 | 66.7 | 0.24 |
Cookies (≥ 7 t/w) | 19.6†
| 10.8 | 25.1 | <0.001 | 14.0 | 18.1 | 28.1 | 0.01 | 18.3 | 21.3 | 0.24 |
Soft drinks (≥ 7 t/w) | 9.3†
| 4.3 | 12.4 | 0.002 | 5.3 | 9.6 | 13.3 | 0.11 | 7.6 | 10.6 | 0.15 |
Eggs (≥ 7 t/w) | 14.3 | 5.9 | 19.0 | <0.001 | 6.1 | 15.7 | 20.3 | 0.01 | 12.7 | 17.4 | 0.08 |
Rice (≥ 7 t/w) | 10.1†
| 2.7 | 14.3 | <0.001 | 2.6 | 14.5 | 9.4 | 0.003 | 7.9 | 13.5 | 0.03 |
Fruits (≥ 7 t/w) | 16.2†
| 11.3 | 19.4 | 0.01 | 8.8 | 16.1 | 21.9 | 0.02 | 14.5 | 18.4 | 0.15 |
Juice (≥ 7 t/w) | 14.7†
| 9.1 | 17.8 | 0.007 | 8.8 | 14.1 | 21.9 | 0.01 | 14.8 | 14.0 | 0.45 |
Chocolates (≥ 7 t/w) | 17.0†
| 10.8 | 21.0 | 0.002 | 8.8 | 17.7 | 24.2 | 0.01 | 15.9 | 17.9 | 0.32 |
Yogurt (≥ 7 t/w) | 20.8 | 21.0 | 20.6 | 0.51 | 14.9 | 19.7 | 29.7 | 0.01 | 20.0 | 22.2 | 0.31 |
Vegetables (≥ 7 t/w) | 34.1†
| 18.8 | 42.9 | 0.005 | 20.2 | 32.1 | 52.3 | <0.001 | 30.0 | 39.1 | 0.02 |
Milk (≥ 7 t/w) | 29.9 | 29.6 | 30.5 | 0.47 | 17.5 | 30.9 | 38.3 | 0.002 | 26.9 | 34.3 | 0.047 |
Cheese (≥ 7 t/w) | 35.0 | 26.3 | 40.6 | 0.001 | 15.8 | 34.1 | 54.7 | <0.001 | 26.6 | 46.9 | <0.001 |
Legumes (≥ 7 t/w) | 14.7†
| 14.0 | 15.2 | 0.34 | 13.2 | 16.1 | 14.1 | 0.74 | 15.5 | 14.0 | 0.37 |
Tea (≥ 20 t/w) | 29.9 | 29.6 | 30.2 | 0.49 | 31.6 | 29.3 | 28.1 | 0.84 | 31.7 | 26.6 | 0.13 |
Lunch ≤ 6 time/week
b
| Multivariate logistic regression | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | % | p | OR (95% CI) | p | |
Gender
| |||||
Boys (n = 439) | 77 | 17.5 | 0.015 |
1
| |
Girls (n = 505) | 62 | 12.3 |
0.55 (0.36–0.87)
|
0.01
| |
Resident status
| |||||
Local citizen (n = 372) | 64 | 17.2 | 0.048 | 1 | |
Refugee (n = 568) | 74 | 13.0 | 0.82 (0.46–1.48) | 0.51 | |
Residential area
| |||||
Gaza (well-off) (n = 379) | 47 | 12.4 | <0.001 |
1
| |
Gaza (non-well-off) (n = 210) | 19 | 9.0 | 0.46 (0.21–1.05) | 0.06 | |
Village (n = 146) | 45 | 30.8 |
3.30 (1.72–6.31)
|
<0.001
| |
Camp (n = 209) | 28 | 13.4 | 1.21 (0.65–2.23) | 0.55 | |
Age in years
| |||||
12 yrs (n = 161) | 18 | 11.2 | 0.24 | 1 | |
13 yrs (n = 295) | 45 | 15.3 | 1.52 (0.56–3.13) | 0.26 | |
14 yrs (n = 312) | 43 | 13.8 | 1.17 (0.56–2.45) | 0.67 | |
15 yrs (n = 176) | 33 | 18.8 | 1.72 (0.79–3.71) | 0.17 | |
Crowding Index
| |||||
≤ 3 persons/room (n = 610) | 73 | 12.0 | 0.001 | 1 | |
> 3 persons/room (n = 240) | 49 | 20.4 | 1.37 (0.83–2.27) | 0.22 | |
Father's working Status
| |||||
Unemployed (n = 501) | 77 | 17.9 | 0.009 | 1 | |
Employed (n = 430) | 61 | 12.2 | 0.92 (0.55–1.54) | 0.76 | |
Household SES
| |||||
Low (n = 245) | 54 | 22.0 | 0.001 | 1 | |
Medium (n = 439) | 53 | 12.1 | 0.73 (0.42–1.29) | 0.28 | |
High (n = 430) | 27 | 11.5 | 1.17 (0.58–2.38) | 0.66 | |
Father's education
| |||||
Low (n = 486) | 88 | 18.1 | 0.013 | 1 | |
Medium (n = 262) | 31 | 11.8 | 0.70 (0.40–1.21) | 0.20 | |
High (n = 173) | 18 | 10.4 | 0.93 (0.47–1.68) | 0.85 | |
Mother's education
| |||||
Low (n = 532) | 94 | 17.7 | 0.005 |
1
| |
Medium/High (n = 391) | 43 | 11.0 |
0.59 (0.36–0.99)
|
0.047
| |
Breakfast (n = 944)
| |||||
≤6 t/w (n = 358) | 100 | 27.9 | <0.001 |
1
| |
= 7 t/w (n = 586) | 39 | 6.7 |
0.21 (0.13–0.34)
|
<0.001
| |
Dinner
| |||||
≤6 t/w (n = 492) | 113 | 23.0 | <0.001 |
1
| |
= 7 t/w (n = 452) | 26 | 5.8 |
0.34 (0.20–0.59)
|
<0.001
| |
Snacks
| |||||
≤6 t/w (n = 728) | 121 | 16.6 | 0.001 | 1 | |
= 7 t/w (n = 216) | 18 | 8.3 | 0.75 (0.39–1.45) | 0.39 |
Food frequency intake
Sociodemographic factor | Animal foodsa
| Milk foodsb
| F/V foodsc
| Sweet foodsd
| Western foodse
| Traditional foodsf
| ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean | p | Mean | p | Mean | p | Mean | p | Mean | p | Mean | p | |
Gender (n = 944)
| ||||||||||||
Boys | 7.29 | 0.10 | 10.19 | 0.33 | 7.99 | 0.02 | 10.07 | 0.13 | 12.13 | 0.02 | 9.03 | 0.11 |
Girls | 6.65 | 11.03 | 9.03 | 11.04 | 13.88 | 7.97 | ||||||
Resident status (n = 940)
| ||||||||||||
Local citizen | 5.61 | <0.001 | 8.64 | <0.001 | 6.70 | 0.001 | 8.35 | <0.001 | 9.46 | <0.001 | 7.63 | 0.04 |
Refugee | 7.84 | 11.97 | 9.74 | 12.08 | 15.47 | 9.06 | ||||||
Residential area (n = 944)
| ||||||||||||
Gaza (well-off) | 8.07 | <0.001 | 14.46 | <0.001 | 9.66 | 0.001 | 12.70 | <0.001 | 17.44 | <0.001 | 8.39 | 0.01 |
Gaza (non-well-off) | 4.96 | 7.87 | 6.25 | 7.40 | 8.08 | 7.26 | ||||||
Village | 6.47 | 8.25 | 7.32 | 8.30 | 9.94 | 7.66 | ||||||
Camp | 7.25 | 8.17 | 9.66 | 11.58 | 12.33 | 10.36 | ||||||
Age in years
| ||||||||||||
12 yrs | 7.32 | 0.52 | 11.65 | 0.54 | 7.81 | 0.004 | 11.21 | 0.45 | 14.22 | 0.50 | 9.00 | 0.71 |
13 yrs | 6.54 | 11.03 | 7.69 | 10.02 | 12.51 | 8.59 | ||||||
14 yrs | 7.13 | 9.98 | 9.44 | 10.41 | 12.98 | 8.46 | ||||||
15 yrs | 6.98 | 10.22 | 9.01 | 11.30 | 13.08 | 7.74 | ||||||
Crowding Index (n = 835)
| ||||||||||||
≤ 3 persons/room | 7.56 | <0.001 | 12.01 | <0.001 | 9.10 | 0.001 | 11.48 | <0.001 | 14.61 | <0.001 | 8.69 | 0.39 |
>3 persons/room | 5.68 | 7.58 | 7.47 | 8.39 | 9.79 | 8.01 | ||||||
Father's working Status (n = 931)
| ||||||||||||
Unemployed | 5.65 | <0.001 | 8.11 | <0.001 | 7.50 | <0.001 | 9.13 | <0.001 | 10.22 | <0.001 | 8.36 | 0.68 |
Employed | 8.09 | 12.80 | 9.42 | 11.89 | 15.47 | 8.63 | ||||||
Household SES (n = 918)
| ||||||||||||
Low | 5.44 | <0.001 | 6.17 | <0.001 | 6.82 | <0.001 | 7.60 | <0.001 | 8.63 | <0.001 | 7.93 | 0.54 |
medium | 6.81 | 10.35 | 8.57 | 10.63 | 13.12 | 8.68 | ||||||
High | 9.03 | 15.88 | 10.40 | 13.85 | 18.18 | 8.91 | ||||||
Father's education (n = 921)
| ||||||||||||
Low | 5.81 | <0.001 | 9.33 | <0.001 | 7.44 | <0.001 | 9.29 | <0.001 | 11.15 | <0.001 | 8.23 | 0.50 |
Medium | 8.39 | 11.97 | 9.71 | 12.29 | 14.84 | 9.14 | ||||||
High | 8.01 | 11.98 | 9.90 | 11.65 | 15.43 | 8.33 | ||||||
Mother's education (n = 923)
| ||||||||||||
Low | 6.22 | <0.001 | 9.25 | <0.001 | 7.99 | 0.003 | 10.03 | 0.048 | 11.47 | <0.001 | 8.72 | 0.42 |
Medium/High | 7.97 | 12.35 | 9.28 | 11.33 | 15.10 | 8.18 |
Boys(n = 439) | Girls(n = 505) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sociodemographic Factors | Animal foodsa
| F/V foodsb
| Milk foodsc
| Animal foodsa
| F/V foodsb
| Milk foodsc
| ||||||
B
|
p
|
B
|
p
|
B
|
p
|
B
|
p
|
B
|
P
|
B
|
p
| |
Constant
| 4.97 | 2.69 | 7.92 | 6.60 | 8.15 | 12.90 | ||||||
Resident status
| ||||||||||||
Local citizen | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Refugee | 2.06 | 0.01 | 2.48 | <0.001 | 3.95 | 0.03 | -0.07 | 0.93 | 0.33 | 0.70 | -3.06 | 0.10 |
Residential area
| ||||||||||||
Gaza (well-off) | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Gaza (non-well-off) | 0.68 | 0.46 | 1.61 | 0.12 | -0.84 | 0.70 | -3.25 | <0.001 | -4.53 | <0.001 | -7.43 | <0.001 |
Village | 0.79 | 0.28 | 2.65 | <0.001 | -5.37 | <0.001 | -1.54 | 0.04 | -1.30 | 0.09 | -4.33 | 0.01 |
Camp | 1.92 | 0.03 | 4.49 | <0.001 | -1.76 | 0.38 | -2.30 | 0.01 | -6.05 | <0.001 | -5.95 | <0.001 |
Age in years
| ||||||||||||
12 yrs | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
13 yrs | -0.67 | 0.42 | 0.78 | 0.40 | -0.10 | 0.96 | 0.21 | 0.79 | 0.35 | 0.67 | 0.34 | 0.84 |
14 yrs | 0.09 | 0.92 | 2.18 | 0.02 | -1.24 | 0.52 | 1.07 | 0.18 | 3.16 | <0.001 | 0.80 | 0.64 |
15 yrs | -0.28 | 0.77 | 1.58 | 0.13 | -1.21 | 0.57 | 1.33 | 0.14 | 2.96 | <0.001 | 0.65 | 0.74 |
Father work status
| ||||||||||||
Employed | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Unemployed | -0.77 | 0.23 | -0.75 | 0.29 | -0.33 | 0.82 | -2.15 | <0.001 | -1.26 | 0.05 | -3.02 | 0.02 |
Household SES
| ||||||||||||
Low | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Medium | -0.05 | 0.94 | 0.72 | 0.34 | 2.13 | 0.17 | 1.42 | 0.05 | 1.22 | 0.10 | 3.63 | 0.02 |
High | 1.38 | 0.09 | 1.68 | 0.07 | 6.64 | <0.001 | 2.52 | 0.01 | 2.30 | 0.01 | 6.46 | <0.001 |
Fathers level of education
| ||||||||||||
Low | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Medium | 1.07 | 0.12 | 1.39 | 0.07 | -0.77 | 0.63 | 1.65 | 0.01 | 0.91 | 0.18 | 0.99 | 0.49 |
High | 0.42 | 0.62 | 0.76 | 0.41 | -3.20 | 0.10 | 0.26 | 0.76 | 1.76 | 0.04 | -0.07 | 0.97 |
Mothers level of education
| ||||||||||||
Low | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | Ref. | ||||||
Medium/high | 0.96 | 0.11 | 0.05 | 0.94 | 1.48 | 0.29 | -0.01 | 0.99 | -0.27 | 0.68 | 1.47 | 0.28 |