Systematic reviewindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-LEG-136 standard review
Dietary guidelines in the Eastern Mediterranean
Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in Countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Comparison and an Update.
Overview
Al-Jawaldeh A et al.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2025 · PMID 41464425 · DOI 10.3390/ijerph22121790
Several Arab national dietary guidelines advise eating legumes daily; Egypt had no national guideline in this review.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Compare regional dietary guidelines.
- How was the study done?
Document review.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
12 national guidelines.
- What was actually found?
Legumes recommended in several.
- How large was the observed effect?
Not applicable.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Health authorities in the region encourage legumes.
- What are the study's limitations?
Descriptive.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts a total ban.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Consistent with Europe.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
It does not assess health outcomes.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Al-Jawaldeh A et al.
- Journal
- Int J Environ Res Public Health
- Year
- 2025
- Identifier
- PMID 41464425 DOI 10.3390/ijerph22121790 · PMC13439040
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 + Crossref works API
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
Not stated in abstract (WHO-affiliated first author).
2. Research question
What do national food-based dietary guidelines in the Eastern Mediterranean Region recommend?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Systematic review – Comparative review of national food-based dietary guidelines (FAO repository, ministry websites)
- Population
22 EMR countries
- Country
Eastern Mediterranean Region (Egypt listed without a national FBDG)
- Period
Guidelines available up to 2025
- Sample size
12 national FBDGs
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Available national FBDGs.
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Not applicable
- Comparator
Not applicable
- Endpoints
Food-group recommendations
- Statistical methods
Descriptive comparison
5. Actual results
- Results
FBDGs available in 12 of 22 countries; Egypt is listed as having no national FBDG. Pakistan has a dedicated legume guideline; Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and Palestine include legumes with nuts/seeds or as vegetarian alternatives; examples: 'Eat legumes and dishes made with legumes once a day', 'Eat legumes daily'. Bahrain advises replacing processed meats with legumes and unsalted nuts.
- Absolute risks
Not applicable
- Authors' conclusion
Most FBDGs promote varied healthy diets; few address sustainability; revisions needed.
6. Strengths
- Regional scope
- Full text read
7. Weaknesses
- Descriptive
- Egypt lacks an FBDG in this review
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- low
- Rationale
Document review.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Not applicable.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Regional dietary guidelines recommend legumes, often daily, contradicting a total legume ban (C-LEG-13, C-LEG-04).
11. Independent contrary findings
None.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Consistent with European guidelines.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Shows regional public-health consensus in favour of legumes.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | low |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | unknown |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
Egyptian national guidance.
15. Linked fact checks
- Legumes as a whole (fava beans, lentils, chickpeas, beans, cowpeas, peas, lupin, peanuts) are harmful and should be fully forbidden. – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim
- Because of favism (and the other narrow risks), legumes should be excluded from everyone's diet. – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim