MABAT Adult Israel National Health and Nutrition Survey Database – Intake and Exposure Datasets

National Health and Nutrition Survey 1999-2001 was the first large-scale nutrition survey planned and carried out by the Food and Nutrition Services of the Public Health Services and the Israel Center for Disease Control. This was the first of its kind survey designed for monitoring health and nutrition status of the population. The survey was deemed as an essential factor in describing the general health, lifestyles and nutritional status of the population in Israel.  The MABAT First survey – the national health and nutrition survey- is an important means for decision-making concerning nutrition policy in Israel. The information generated from the first MABAT survey provides a basis for the evaluation of health indicators in the population and also helps in monitoring and identification of subpopulation groups at increased risk of morbidity. 

The MABAT survey 1999-2001 was conducted between 1999 and 2001  National Center for Disease Control (MALBAM) in collaboration with the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health. It was a cross-sectional study, and the study population was drawn randomly from the population registry. Individuals in long-term care and institutions were excluded. A total of 3,246 men and women, Jews and Arabs. Aged 24-64 were included in the survey. The survey outcomes are used as baseline data to inspect trends in food consumption patterns in Israel.

The MABAT survey 1999-2001 survey used a general questionnaire that included demographic details on the individual and the family, health status, alcohol intake, exercise, smoking habits, eating and dieting habits, food allergy and sensitivity, food supplementation use, knowledge and attitudes regarding nutrition and sources of nutrition knowledge. Data were continually collected over a period of two years, and it was aimed to reflect the discrepancies in the nutritional habits and consumption patterns of the Israeli population in the different seasons of the year, on all days of the week, including religious holidays. Apart from the questionnaire, a 24-hour dietary recall was also conducted in which the study participants were asked to report their food consumption in 24 hours before the interview. Two rounds of interviews were taken. During the first round, a list of foods and drinks was gathered. The second round of interviews was more detailed: time of meals, where the meals were consumed and to what meal each specific food belonged to, as well as information on the inventory of the food items and beverages for better quantification. Additionally, anthropometric measurements were carried out, including height, weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference. The gathered data was recorded using computerized software.