Evaluation of Nutritional Status with Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) of Syrian Refugees Living Outside the Refugee Camps

Ali Timucin Atayoglu (), Yagmur Firat, Nese Kaya, Eda Basmisirli, Asli Gizem Capar, Yusuf Aykemat, Rumeysa Atayolu, Hammad Khan, Ayten Guner Atayoglu and Neriman Inanc
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Ali Timucin Atayoglu: Department of Family Medicine, International School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul 34815, Turkey
Yagmur Firat: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38280, Turkey
Nese Kaya: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri 38170, Turkey
Eda Basmisirli: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri 38170, Turkey
Asli Gizem Capar: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri 38170, Turkey
Yusuf Aykemat: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri 38170, Turkey
Rumeysa Atayolu: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul 34810, Turkey
Hammad Khan: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Ayten Guner Atayoglu: Department of Family Medicine, Beylikduzu State Hospital, Istanbul 34500, Turkey
Neriman Inanc: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nuh Naci Yazgan University, Kayseri 38170, Turkey

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Nutrition is a public health issue. Amongst populations of refugees, unmet nutritional needs have been identified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of Syrian refugees living outside the refugee camps in Kayseri, Turkey. Socio-demographic data and anthropometric measurements of the refugees were collected. The relationship between diet quality, which was assessed through the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010), and factors (including the duration of time spent outside the refugee camp, income, obesity, and waist circumference) were measured. Four hundred refugees participated in this study. The majority of refugees (77.8%) reported a ‘poor’ diet, with the remaining filling into the ‘needs improvement’ based on HEI-2010 scores. The average consumption of fruits in the study group was 101.9 g per day (g/day), while the average consumption of vegetables was 142.2 g/day. When the relationships were examined between BMI, HEI-2010 score, the time spent as a refugee, and waist circumference, statistically significant relationships were found ( p < 0.001). In the linear regression analysis based on these relationships, when the results were adjusted for age and gender factors, it was observed that for every year spent as a refugee, BMI score increased by 0.17 units, and waist circumference increased by 1.14 units ( p < 0.05). As a result, this study showed that refugees have low-income-related nutritional risks. In conclusion, ensuring that refugees have access to adequate nutrient-rich food is essential; therefore, analyzing and improving nutritional standards for refugees are suggested to be part of the strategies of the public and primary health care systems.

Keywords: refugee; nutritional status; healthy eating index; obesity; primary health care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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