Lebanon is a small middle-income country in the
Middle-East situated on the Mediterranean
coast. Over the last three decades, Lebanon has
experienced a nutrition transition resulting in a
shift towards a diet high in energy-dense food
and sedentary lifestyle. The results from a
national population based study in Lebanon
showed high prevalence rates of overweight
and obesity similar with those observed in
developed countries, both in adults and
children (Sibai et al., 2003). Recently, a study on
the secular trends in the prevalence of
overweight and obesity in Lebanon over a 12
year period found an alarming increase in
obesity prevalence in the Lebanese population,
especially in children (Nasreddine et al., 2012a).
Multicomponent interventions, policies and
nutritional strategies to promote weight control
and physical activity nation-wide were
recommended to curb the childhood obesity
crisis in Lebanon (Sibai et al., 2003; Hwalla et al.,
2005; Nasreddine et al., 2012b).