Nutrition Transition: An Intergenerational Comparison of Dietary Habits among Women of Shiraz

BACKGROUND There is a shift worldwide towards a diet that is high in processed foods and low in fiber, leading to a corresponding increase in degenerative diseases. These diseases are interrelated with lifestyles and especially with diets. The aim of this study was to investigate the eating habit differences between two generations of mothers and daughters and their tendency towards modern foods. METHODS In this cross-sectional survey, the data were gathered using structured questionnaires. The sample of the study includes 618 women in Shiraz City (309 mothers and 309 daughters) selected through stratified random sampling. Data analysis was carried out using the SPSS software. RESULTS In the mothers' generation, around 80% showed a traditional nutritional pattern while in the young generation more than 50% had a modern or close to modern pattern of nutrition (P ≤ 0.05). The findings confirmed a significant difference in dietary habits among the two generations. For both generations, nutrition pattern was significantly different in terms of social class, weight control, education, using mass communication, and physical activities (P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION Iran is currently experiencing a nutrition transition. The current inappropriate habits in the lifestyles of the girls' in Shiraz are a health threat for them, and it will increase the risk of non-communicable diseases. Therefore, policy makers have to set new agenda to increase the nutritional knowledge of the population.