Public health researchers are calling for more awareness and nutritional labelling on food delivery applications, as part of a regional study which found that diets in the kingdom are increasingly disrupted due to easy availability of unhealthy dietary options.
The regional study, titled ‘The impact of online food delivery applications on dietary pattern disruption in the Arab region’, found that Bahrain and Lebanon rank the highest in the Arab world for self-reported dietary disruption linked to online food delivery application (OFDA) use.
“OFDAs offer valuable convenience and market expansion while simultaneously posing significant challenges to maintaining optimal dietary health,” researchers noted in the study.
“With strategic interventions and public health collaborations, these platforms can shift from being disruptors of healthy dietary habits to catalysts for improved nutrition and well-being in the Arab region and beyond.”
Published in the peer-reviewed Frontiers in Public Health journal earlier this week, the study surveyed 7,370 adults across 10 Arab countries.
It was conducted by a team of researchers from across the region, including Dr Sabika Allehdan of Bahrain University’s College of Science.
Data was collected between February and June last year using an online questionnaire, distributed via social media and university networks. From Bahrain, 542 respondents participated in the survey.
Among Bahraini respondents, 35.2 per cent agreed that ordering through food delivery apps had negatively affected their eating habits.
This figure matches Lebanon and is the highest recorded in the study, ahead of Saudi Arabia (33.6pc), UAE (32.8pc), and Kuwait(30.3pc).
Oman reported the lowest rate at 16.9pc.
“The findings revealed that the strongest predictors of dietary disruption were excessive food consumption, altered meal routines, and preferences for fatty foods,” researchers added.
“Younger individuals, males, and those with higher body mass index (BMI) reported higher disruption rates.”
Researchers used machine learning models to identify the main behavioural and nutritional factors linked to disruption.
According to the study, behavioural factors like eating at odd hours, binge consumption and preference for fat-heavy foods were more influential in disrupting diets than income, education level, or employment status.
In Bahrain, the rise of OFDAs has coincided with rapid urban development and increased digital access, contributing to frequent app use, which in turn influences meal timing, food choices, and portion sizes.
The study suggests this has contributed to changes in dietary patterns, with a shift away from home-cooked meals towards more frequent ordering of calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods.
It also noted that the availability of healthy food options on delivery apps could help avoid developing poor nutritional habits, adding that often, these options were overshadowed by cheaper, heavily marketed fast food alternatives.
Researchers recommend several measures to mitigate the health risks linked to OFDA use, including clearer nutritional labelling on apps, promotion of healthy choices through app design, and subsidisation of fruits and vegetables.
It also calls for education campaigns to improve digital food literacy and support healthier decision-making, especially among younger users.
The authors note that further research is needed to explore the connection between OFDA usage and food safety risks, as well as to develop region-specific policy responses.
The GDN reported last month that approximately 17pc of Bahrain’s adolescents aged five to 19 suffer from obesity, with medical researchers calling for restrictions on processed food for school lunches, more physical activities and increased awareness about how to manage the condition.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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