Alimentation dans certains pays de l’Afrique du Nord

Abstract

This work addresses the topic of nutrition in several North African countries, aiming to analyze and understand the multiple dimensions that influence food security and prevailing dietary patterns in the region. This interest stems from the critical importance of nutrition as a fundamental element of public health, human development, and socio-economic stability. The study seeks to achieve a set of key objectives, including: evaluating the current state of food security through the analysis of nutritional indicators and identifying gaps and challenges facing populations in accessing sufficient, safe, and nutritious food; and identifying the factors influencing dietary behavior, including economic factors such as income, food prices, and poverty, alongside social and cultural factors such as dietary habits, beliefs, and education level, in addition to environmental and health factors. The comparative analysis of dietary systems in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Libya reveals commonalities rooted in the Mediterranean heritage of these countries, which is based on the consumption of cereals, legumes, vegetables, olive oil, and fish. However, rapid social and economic transformations and accelerated urbanization have contributed to a clear nutritional transition, marked by a shift away from traditional healthy patterns toward modern consumption habits reliant on processed foods, refined grains, saturated fats, and sugars. In Algeria, bread is considered the staple food, with a heavy reliance on wheat and plant-based proteins, accompanied by low meat consumption. This has led to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in iron and vitamin D. In Tunisia, the traditional Mediterranean cuisine has declined in favor of fast food and sugar-rich pastries, contributing to widespread obesity and anemia, especially among children. In Egypt, local bread (baladi), lentils, and fava beans are dietary staples, yet the near-total reliance on plant-based protein is associated with increasing rates of anemia and diabetes. Morocco suffers from excessive sugar consumption and a lack of protein diversity, despite its rich traditional cuisine, resulting in high obesity rates, particularly among women