Skip to main content

Table 1 List of the Qatar Dietary Guidelines and corresponding criteria stemming from WHO STEPwise survey (n = 1109)

From: Adherence to the Qatar dietary guidelines: a cross-sectional study of the gaps, determinants and association with cardiometabolic risk amongst adults

Qatar Dietary Guidelines

Criteria used to assess adherence

Aim for 3–5 servings of a variety of vegetables every day.

Consume ≥3 servings of vegetables per day

Aim for 2–4 servings of a variety of fruit every day.

Consume ≥2 servings of fruits per day

Favor whole fruit over juices.

Consume whole fruits more often than natural juices (days per week)

Substitute refined grains with whole grain breads and cereals.

Consume whole grains more often than refined grains (days per week)

Eat legumes daily.

Consume beans daily (7 days per week)

Maintain a daily consumption of skimmed or low fat milk and dairy products.

Consume dairy products daily (7 days per week)

Eat a variety of fish at least twice a week.

Consume fish at least twice per week (days per week)

Eat less fast foods and processed foods.

Consume fast food less often (<first quartile-2 days/week)

Limit sweetened foods a

Consume sweets less often (<first quartile-2 days/week)

Avoid sweetened beverages a

Consume sweetened beverages less often (<first quartile-2 days/week)

Use healthy vegetable oils such as olive, corn

Use vegetable oil instead of animal fat in cooking

Eat home-made food more often

Consume meals outside home less often (<first quartile-3 meals per week)

Eat more high fiber foods.

Consume high fiber foods more often (Fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, and legumes)-times per week (>4th quartile-21 times per week)

Maintain a healthy weight

Maintain a healthy body mass index (Normal body mass index (BMI)b

Spend less time sitting

Sit less often (first quartile-240 min per day) -minutes sitting per day

Adults should do moderate aerobic physical activity at least 5 days per week (for at least 30 min) and/or vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity at least 3 days per week (for at least 20 min) c

Do at least 150 min per week of moderate physical activity or at least 60 min per week of vigorous physical activity (minutes per week)

Overall adherence score (calculated as the sum of the number of recommendations the study participants adhered to)

The score ranged between 0 and 16.

  1. aSweetened foods and beverages include all foods and drinks with added sugars such as sucrose or high fructose corn syrup. Examples include soft drinks, sodas, sweetened juices, sweetened Tea/coffee, cakes, deserts, chocolate, jams, etc.
  2. bNormal BMI defined as BMI ranging between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2
  3. cVigorous-intensity activity is defined as activity that needs large amounts of effort and causes “large increases in breathing or heart rate”, such as running, carrying or lifting heavy loads and construction work; moderate-intensity activity, however, is defined as activity that needs moderate amounts of effort and causes “small increases in breathing or heart rate”, such as brisk walking, housework or carrying light loads [19]
Back to article page

BMC Public Health

ISSN: 1471-2458

Contact us