Dietary behaviors, nutrition-monitoring technology use, and their socio-demographic determinants among Moroccan adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Problem considered In our sample of urban, educated Moroccan adults, we observed dietary patterns suggestive of a nutrition transition, characterized by high consumption of both traditional healthy foods and processed, energy-dense items. This study assessed dietary practices, dieting habits, and use of nutrition-monitoring technologies among Moroccan adults, and examined socio-demographic associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from October 2024 to January 2025 among 1,035 Moroccan adults. A structured questionnaire collected data on socio-demographics, dietary behaviors, dieting history, and use of nutrition monitoring technologies. BMI was calculated from self-reported weight and height. Associations were tested using chi-square analysis with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons; multivariable multinomial logistic regression was also performed to assess independent associations. Results Participants were predominantly urban (82.9%) and university-educated (79.8%). Overweight/obesity prevalence was 60.9%. Fresh fruit (89.7%) and vegetable (89.0%) consumption was high, but high-fat foods (76.6%) and sweetened beverages (49.1%) were also widely consumed. Half (49.6%) had previously dieted, mainly sugar-free or low-calorie, yet only 9.5% used digital tools for dietary monitoring. After Bonferroni correction, significant associations remained for adding salt after cooking with education (p < 0.001) and consuming fried foods with education (p < 0.001), and trying to reduce sugar intake with age (p < 0.001). In multivariable multinomial regression, gender was the most consistent independent predictor of dietary behaviors; age, education, and income showed select independent associations. No association was found between BMI and dietary habits. Conclusion In our sample of urban, educated Moroccan adults, we observed dietary patterns that suggest a co-existence of traditional healthy foods with unhealthy items. Overweight/obesity is highly prevalent in this population subgroup. Despite interest in dieting, use of nutrition-monitoring technology remains very low in our sample. Hypothesis-generating suggestions include culturally adapted digital tools and targeted interventions, but confirmatory studies using probability sampling are needed.