Endocrine Abstracts

Differences in individuals’ eating habits affect adherence to diets and the weight management process. Identifying factors that influence the prevalence of obesity is crucial for addressing obesity-related health issues and implementing necessary preventive measures. This study aims to compare the changes in body composition resulting from medical nutrition therapy applied to individuals of Arab and Turkish origin seeking weight loss at a specialized clinic. Additionally, it explores the impact of demographic and sociocultural characteristics, as well as dietary habits, on these changes. In this context, adults aged 20-64 with a BMI >30 who sought weight loss at a specialized clinic were individually consulted with medical nutrition therapy. The consultations occurred at the initial meeting, followed by sessions with a one-month interval, totaling three months. Weight losses and anthropometric measurements were repeated. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the source of differences in anthropometric measurements at the end of the third month. According to the test results, the differences in measurements between the first and third months were statistically significant for Turkish participants compared to Arab participants, based on mean rank values (P<0.05). In conclusion, personalized medical nutrition therapy within the same timeframe yielded better results for Turkish participants compared to Arab participants. The dietary habits and cultural norms of the Arab community had a more adverse impact on the diet process.