MABAT Israeli national health and nutrition survey youth database – Intake and Exposure Datasets

The National Health and Nutrition (MABAT) surveys are large-scale studies conducted by the Israel Center for Disease Control (ICDC) since 1999 on the state of health and nutrition in Israel. These surveys are deemed essential and effective measures to describe the health, nutrition and lifestyles of the Israeli population, the findings of which provide scientific data that serve policymakers for policy planning and interventions.

Mabat Youth – Israeli National Health and Nutrition Survey 2003-2004 is the survey for students of Grades 7 to 12 in Israel. The aim of this survey is to assess and monitor food consumption, nutrition, growth, malnutrition, overweight and exercise habits of Israeli children to provide up-to-date information on matters of food and nutrition.

Mabat Youth – Israeli National Health and Nutrition Survey 2003-2004 was conducted in 2003-2004 on students in grades 7-12, belonging to the age group 12-18 years. A total of 6,274 school students participated in the study. The study population was based on a sample from Ministry of Education lists, using preset variables: population group (Jewish, Arab and Bedouin, Druze), stream (state, religious), school level (middle school – grades 7-9, high school -grades 10-12), and welfare level (low, high). Welfare levels 1-5 denote a higher socioeconomic level for the school area, with 1 being the highest socioeconomic level. The welfare levels 6-10 indicate a lower socioeconomic level, with level 10 being the lowest.

The cluster method of sampling was used for the Mabat Youth survey. From the list of 1000 schools received from the Ministry of Education, schools were divided into sub-groups according to different categories. For each school, the grade level (7-12) which would participate was randomly selected.  Continuous follow-up of the number of students within each stream, grade level and the sector was carried out during the period of data collection, and adjustments were made as necessary to have the appropriate number of students. The questionnaire used for the Mabat youth survey had four different sections:  a food frequency and height/weight questionnaire, a lifestyle and health habits questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and a 24-hour food recall with some additional questions on fruit and vegetable intake.