MABAT Nutrition Surveys – Background
The National Health and Nutrition (MABAT) Surveys are essential and effective measures to describe the state of health, nutrition and lifestyles of the Israeli population. The findings of these surveys provide scientific data that serve policy makers when planning policies and interventions for the general population and population subgroups.
Until the early 2000s, information on the nutritional state of Israel’s population was lacking. This was an obstacle to the optimal development of health promotion programs, as well as to the formulation of nutritional guidelines for the population.
As of 1999, the Israel Center for Disease Control (ICDC), together with the
Nutrition Department and in collaboration with other institutions, has carried out a series of surveys on the state of health and nutrition in Israel - the MABAT National Surveys.
The MABAT surveys are designed to collect information on:- The nutritional habits of Israelis, focusing on food quantities and types, food groups and composition of meals.
- Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity.
- Anthropometric characteristics of the population, including weight, height, body mass (BMI) and other parameters
Today, the findings of the MABAT surveys form the basis for the formulation of nutritional recommendations for the general populations and its subgroups. The survey findings facilitate the identification of at-risk groups, and the development of nutritional intervention programs. The results of the surveys also serve as a baseline for following trends in patterns of consumption and on the nutritional and health status of the population.
