scholarly journals Diet quality of a population sample from coastal north-east Spain evaluated by a Mediterranean adaptation of the Diet Quality Index (DQI)

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Bondia-Pons ◽  
Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs ◽  
Lluís Serra-Majem ◽  
Ana I Castellote ◽  
Abel Mariné ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern in the population from a coastal region from north-east Spain and its relationship to diseases, applying the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (M-DQI) validated by the use of several biomarkers.DesignCross-sectional nutrition survey.SettingPopulation-based random sample derived from the Catalan Nutrition Survey.SubjectsA total of 621 healthy adults.ResultsThe Catalan representative sample presented a mean M-DQI score of 6·6 (sd 2·3, median 7, range 0–14). The percentage of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was 53 %; 10 % of subjects showed high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, while only 2 % were categorized as poorest adherence. The plasma fatty acid profile of the Catalan sample progressed with perfect regularity throughout the index ranges. Both EPA and DHA presented a significant correlation to the M-DQI (r = −0·410 for EPA and −0·360 for DHA). A significant increase in palmitic, oleic and α-linolenic acids and a significant decrease in stearic, linoleic and arachidonic acids content were also observed. The mean values for the M-DQI according to the clinical characteristics of the Catalan sample were also calculated.ConclusionsThe M-DQI has been demonstrated a suitable tool for assessment of an individual’s nutritional status according to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and for clinical purposes. Although the current diet followed in Catalonia seems to agree with the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, the promotion of the Mediterranean pattern should be reinforced in the Catalan population, especially among young people.

Nutrients ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lovro Štefan ◽  
Rebeka Prosoli ◽  
Dora Juranko ◽  
Marko Čule ◽  
Ivan Milinović ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria del Mar Bibiloni ◽  
Antoni Pons ◽  
Josep A. Tur

Background and Aims: To assess the compliance levels of adolescents in the Balearic Islands with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED Index) and to assess its associations with socioeconomic, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional survey (n = 1,231; 12-17 years) carried out in 2007-2008. The degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was evaluated using the KIDMED Index. Body composition, body image, socioeconomic factors, and physical activity were also assessed. Results: Around 30% of adolescents showed high adherence to MedDiet and 15.7% showed poor adherence. More boys (32.0%) than girls (25.2%) showed high adherence to MedDiet. However, the proportion of adolescents who were reported to skip breakfast was higher among girls than boys (30.0 vs. 19.2%, respectively). The OR for poor adherence to MedDiet was higher in adolescents who usually attend mass media during mealtime, in boys eating ≤3 occasions/day, and in physically inactive girls. In boys, poor adherence to MedDiet was associated with lower OR in the age range 12-13 and in those who wished to have a thin body shape. In girls, high parental educational level, time spent on media <2 h/day and eating breakfast regularly were also associated with lower OR for poor adherence to MedDiet. Conclusions: A high percentage of adolescents in Balearic Islands showed poor adherence to MedDiet.


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1408-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Mariscal-Arcas ◽  
Ana Rivas ◽  
Javier Velasco ◽  
Maria Ortega ◽  
Ascension Maria Caballero ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveThe Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest dietary models. Recent changes in the actual Mediterranean diet include a reduction in energy intake and a higher consumption of foods with low nutrient density (e.g. soft drinks, candy, sweets, etc.). In Spain, in association with cultural and lifestyle changes, there has been a reduction in the intake of antioxidants and vitamins, an increase in the proportion of SFA and a decrease in the consumption of fibre, among other changes. Children and adolescents may be the age groups with the most deteriorated Mediterranean diet. The current paper presents the results of applying the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents (KIDMED) to a large sample of Spanish schoolchildren.DesignData from questionnaires were used to calculate the KIDMED index.SettingGranada, Southern Spain.SubjectsSchoolchildren (n3190) aged 8–16 years.ResultsAmong the 8–10-year-olds, the KIDMED index classification was ‘good’ in 48·6% of the population, ‘average’ in 49·5% and ‘poor’ in 1·6%. Among the 10–16-year-olds, the KIDMED index classification was good in 46·9% of the population, average in 51·1% and poor in 2·0%.ConclusionsThe nutritional behaviour of the present population of schoolchildren is similar to that found in the earlier KIDMED study.


2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivona Višekruna ◽  
Ivana Rumbak ◽  
Ivana Rumora Samarin ◽  
Irena Keser ◽  
Jasmina Ranilović

Abstract. Results of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that subjects following the Mediterranean diet had lower inflammatory markers such as homocysteine (Hcy). Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess female diet quality with the Mediterranean diet quality index (MDQI) and to determine the correlation between MDQI, homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 levels in the blood. The study participants were 237 apparently healthy women (96 of reproductive age and 141 postmenopausal) between 25 and 93 years. For each participant, 24-hour dietary recalls for 3 days were collected, MDQI was calculated, and plasma Hcy, serum and erythrocyte folate and vitamin B12 levels were analysed. Total MDQI ranged from 8 to 10 points, which represented a medium-poor diet for the subjects. The strength of correlation using biomarkers, regardless of group type, age, gender and other measured parameters, was ranked from best (0.11) to worst (0.52) for olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables, grains, and meat, in this order. Hcy levels showed the best response among all markers across all groups and food types. Our study shows significant differences between variables of the MDQI and Hcy levels compared to levels of folate and vitamin B12 in participants with medium-poor diet quality, as evaluated according to MDQI scores.


Author(s):  
Carmela Bagnato ◽  
Carmela Perfetto ◽  
Flora Labanca ◽  
Lorenza Caregaro Negrin

COVID-19, first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019 quickly spread worldwide leading to serious health, social and economic consequences. A crucial role in the pathogenesis of severe disease has been attributed to the inflammatory status, that in more severe cases may evolve in an overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (“cytokine storm)” and fatal outcome. Non-communicable diseases, nutritional disorders and advanced age, conditions associated with a low-grade systemic inflammation and immune function alterations, have been identified as major risks for severe COVID-19. General recommendations for fighting COVID-19 highlighted the paramount importance of adopting a healthy plant-based dietary pattern and healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is considered as one of the healthiest dietary patterns, and its benefits are supported by a large body of evidence. Furthermore, it is considered as a sustainable lifestyle model. The aim of this research was to update the multiple benefits of the Mediterranean dietary pattern on physical and mental health, focusing on the effects that it may have in combating COVID-19. The potential effects and mechanisms of action of the main bioactive components of Mediterranean diet were also analyzed. Considering its effects in modulating inflammation and oxidative stress and supporting the immune system, the Mediterranean dietary pattern may be considered the most promising dietary approach to combat COVID-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-83
Author(s):  
Sedef Duran ◽  
Ezgi Durmuşçelebi ◽  
Merve Yalçın ◽  
Gülşah Karmil ◽  
Asja Radonciq

Aim: Sleep duration and quality affect the food consumption and weight gain; also food consumption affects the sleep. It was found that the university students have very serious problems in terms of nutrition and sleep patterns. The aim of this study is to investigate the sleep status and eating habits of the students in the first and secondary education of university. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out with 130 students from first and 108 students from secondary education of the university. Height, weight, waist and hip measurements of each participant were taken. Demographic characteristics, habits, dietary behaviors and sleep patterns of the participants were evaluated. Results: It was determined that the students in the secondary education had a significantly higher rate of eating more at nights and skipped meals during the day. When all the participants were considered, there was a opposite and weak opposite correlation in the between the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Mediterranean Diet Quality Index scores. According to the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index, the ratio of those with very low dietary quality was 51.5% for the students in the first education and 61.1% for the students in the second education. Conclusion: It was found that, secondary education students eat more at night than first education students; they skip meals during the day and had a very low diet quality according to Mediterranean Diet Quality Index. In order to prevent these problems, regular sleep and nutrition training should be given to the students of secondary education.


2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 384-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pagona Lagiou ◽  
Dimitrios Trichopoulos ◽  
Sven Sandin ◽  
Areti Lagiou ◽  
Lorelei Mucci ◽  
...  

Studies of diet and health focus increasingly on dietary patterns. Although the traditional Mediterranean diet is perceived as being healthy, there is little information on its possible benefit to young people. We studied whether closer adherence to the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with overall and cancer mortality in a cohort of 42237 young women, aged 30–49 years at enrolment, who were recruited in 1991–2 from the general population in the Uppsala Health Care Region, Sweden, and followed up, almost completely, for about 12 years. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by a 10-point score incorporating the characteristics of this diet. Among women less than 40 years old at enrolment – whose causes of death are mainly cancer with probable genetic influences, injuries or suicide – there was no association of the Mediterranean diet score with total or cancer mortality. Among women 40–49 years old at enrolment, a 2-point increase in the score was associated with considerable reductions in overall mortality (13%; 95% CI 1%, 23%; P∼0·05) and cancer mortality (16%; 95% CI −1%, 29%; P∼0·06). Few cardiovascular deaths occurred in this cohort of young women. The findings of the present study in a northern European population of young women indicate that closer adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern reduces mortality even among young persons.


2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (11) ◽  
pp. 1587-1595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pontus Henriksson ◽  
Magdalena Cuenca-García ◽  
Idoia Labayen ◽  
Irene Esteban-Cornejo ◽  
Hanna Henriksson ◽  
...  

AbstractAdolescence represents an important period for the development of executive functions, which are a set of important cognitive processes including attentional control. However, very little is known regarding the associations of nutrition with components of executive functions in adolescence. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate associations of dietary patterns and macronutrient composition with attention capacity in European adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 384 (165 boys and 219 girls) adolescents, aged 12·5–17·5 years, from five European countries in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study. Attention capacity was examined using the d2 Test of Attention. Dietary intake was assessed through two non-consecutive 24 h recalls using a computer-based self-administered tool. Three dietary patterns (diet quality index, ideal diet score and Mediterranean diet score) and macronutrient/fibre intakes were calculated. Linear regression analysis was conducted adjusting for age, sex, BMI, maternal education, family affluence scale, study centre and energy intake (only for Mediterranean diet score). In these adjusted regression analyses, higher diet quality index for adolescents and ideal diet score were associated with a higher attention capacity (standardised β=0·16, P=0·002 and β=0·15, P=0·005, respectively). Conversely, Mediterranean diet score or macronutrient/fibre intake were not associated with attention capacity (P>0·05). Our results suggest that healthier dietary patterns, as indicated by higher diet quality index and ideal diet score, were associated with attention capacity in adolescence. Intervention studies investigating a causal relationship between diet quality and attention are warranted.


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