Changes in the Lifestyle in Spanish University Population during the Confinement for COVID-19

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, eating and physical activity behaviours, in a University population. A healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD) pattern, rich in fruit and vegetables can prevent degenerative diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. (2) Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, data were collected by an anonymous online questionnaire. Participants completed a survey consisting of 3 sections: sociodemographic data; dietary and physical activity behaviour; questionnaire of the Mediterranean Diet (MEDAS-14) and the emotional eater questionnaire Garaulet (EEQ). (3) Results: A total of 168 participants completed the questionnaire 66.7% women, from Spain 79.2%, 76.8% students, living in family home 76.2% and in normal weight 66.1% . Our population did the grocery 1 or less per week (76.8%); decreased or stay the same the consumption of fruits (57.1%), vegetables (58.9%), dairy products (74.4%), pulses (73.2%), fish/seafood (76.8%), white meat (83.3%), red and processed meat (91.1%), snacks (78.6%), rice/pasta/potatoes (78.6%), nuts (83.9%), low alcohol drinks (89.3%), spirits (98.8%) and sugary drinks (91.7%) . Increased cooking time (73.2%) and decreased or stay the same their physical activity (63.7%). University Employees increased more weight (1.01±0.02) than students (0.99±0.03) (p<0.05). 79.8% of the participant obtained a Medium/High Adherence to the MD. Emotional and very emotional eaters were higher in women group (p<0.01). (4) Conclusions: In the event of further confinement, strategies should be implemented to promote a balanced and healthy diet together with the practice of physical activity, taking special care of the group of women and University Employees.

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Cooking at Home and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet During the COVID-19 Confinement: The Experience From the Croatian COVIDiet Study

Frontiers in Nutrition ◽

10.3389/fnut.2021.617721 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Danijela Pfeifer ◽

Josip Rešetar ◽

Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić ◽

Ines Panjkota Krbavčić ◽

Darija Vranešić Bender ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Adult Population ◽

Dietary Behavior ◽

Dietary Quality ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The Impact

Introduction: The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the changes in dietary behavior among the Croatian adult population during the COVID-19 outbreak and to explore the impact of confinement on cooking habits.Methods: The study was based on results from COVIDiet_Int cross-sectional study—a part of COVIDiet project (NCT04449731). A self-administered online questionnaire was used to assess the frequency of food consumption, eating habits, and sociodemographic information. A total number of 4,281 participants (80.5% females and 19.4% males) completed the questionnaire.Results: The Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score before the confinement was 5.02 ± 1.97, while during the confinement, the MEDAS score increased to 5.85 ± 2.04. Participants who had higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) during the confinement were mostly females (88.8%), aged between 20 and 50 years, with the highest level of education (66.3%) and normal BMI (70.6%). The majority of participants maintained their dietary behavior as it was before COVID-19 confinement, while 36.9% decreased their physical activity. Participants with higher MEDAS score were more eager to increase their physical activity. Additionally, higher median values of MEDAS score were noted for participants with body mass index values below 24.9 kg/m2 (6.0 vs. 5.0 for participants with BMI above 25 kg/m2). Participants in all residence places increased their cooking frequency during the confinement (53.8%), which was associated with an increase in vegetables, legumes, as well as fish and seafood consumption.Conclusions: According to our findings, Croatian adults exhibited medium adherence to the MedDiet during the COVID-19 confinement. The results suggest that cooking frequency could be positively associated with overall dietary quality, which is of utmost importance in these demanding times.

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Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Its Association with the Level of Physical Activity in Fitness Center Users: Croatian-Based Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13114038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 4038

Author(s):

Dinko Martinovic ◽

Daria Tokic ◽

Lovre Martinovic ◽

Marko Kumric ◽

Marino Vilovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Short Form ◽

Well Being ◽

General Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fitness Center ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is based on the traditional cuisine of south European countries, and it is considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns worldwide. The promotion of combined MD and physical activity has shown major benefits. However, the association between physical activity and the MD in regular fitness center users is still insufficiently investigated. This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted on 1220 fitness center users in Croatia. The survey consisted of three parts: general information, the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The results showed that 18.6% of fitness center users were adherent to the MD, and there was a significant positive correlation between the level of physical activity and the MDSS score (r = 0.302, p < 0.001). Moreover, after dividing the sample into tertiles based on the IPAQ-SF score, the third tertile (MET > 3150 min/wk) had the most fitness center users (34.4%) adherent to the MD, while the first tertile (MET < 1750 min/wk) had the least (6.1%). These outcomes emphasize the importance of physical activity as they imply that, with higher levels of physical activity, people are also possibly more aware of the importance that a healthy and balanced diet has on their well-being.

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Influence of physical activity, the Mediterranean diet and sociodemographic variables on the values of different cardiovascular risk scales

Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.3233/mnm-211537 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Pere Riutord Sbert ◽

Ángel Arturo López González ◽

Bartomeu Riutord Fe ◽

Neus Riutord Fe ◽

Sebastiana Arroyo Bote ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Social Class ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Tobacco Consumption ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sociodemographic Variables ◽

Mean Values ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Physical Activity Adherence

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. There are several risk factors for CVD, many of which are preventable, including sedentary lifestyles and poor diet. OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of physical activity, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and sociodemographic variables such as age, sex and social class on the values of different cardiovascular risk scales. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study in 1584 Spanish workers in which the influence of different sociodemographic variables (age, sex, social class) and healthy habits (tobacco consumption, physical activity assessed with the IPAQ questionnaire, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet) on the values of different cardiovascular risk (CVR) scales (REGICOR, SCORE, DORICA, ERICE, heart age, and vascular age) was assessed. RESULTS: All the CVR scales showed better mean values as the level of physical activity increased, something similar occurring with the prevalence of altered values, in both sexes. High adherence to the Mediterranean diet also improved the mean values and prevalence of altered values in men and women. CONCLUSION: The Mediterranean diet and physical exercise decrease the probability of suffering a cardiovascular event and improve all the CVR scales analyzed in this study.

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Eating Habits and Lifestyles in Schoolchildren from Granada (Spain). A Pilot Study

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci8040216 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 216

Author(s):

Gabriel González-Valero ◽

José Luis Ubago-Jiménez ◽

Félix Zurita-Ortega ◽

Ramón Chacón-Cuberos ◽

Manuel Castro-Sánchez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Self Concept ◽

Sports Activity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Problematic Use ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Physical Activity Adherence

The creation of healthy habits and lifestyles is fundamental in the educational field and for acquiring adequate health levels that will prevail in adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics and correlations between the level of practice of physical activity, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), body mass index (BMI) and problematic use of videogames and self-concept of primary education students. This non-experimental, cross-sectional study is composed of a sample of 577 students aged 10-12 years (11.1 ± 0.638). Subjects were evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence questionnaire (KIDMED), Self-Concept Form-5 (AF-5), Experiences Related to Videogames (QERV) and anthropometric measurements were taken following the guidelines of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Most students have been found to be of normal weight, although one in five has problems with being overweight or experiencing obesity. Likewise, half of them need to improve their adherence to the Mediterranean diet, while they do not have a problematic use of videogames, although one tenth of them in these early ages offer severe problems and it is highlighted that students offer an adequate self-concept. It is also noted that BMI correlates positively with problematic videogame use and social self-concept. Greater addiction to videogames is associated with poorer academic performance, low levels of physical activity and poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Finally, it should be noted that the continued practice of physical-sports activity favors emotional competence and academic performance.

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Determinants of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in Women from Southern Italy

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16162963 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (16) ◽

pp. 2963 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Andrea Maugeri ◽

Martina Barchitta ◽

Valerio Fiore ◽

Giuliana Rosta ◽

Giuliana Favara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mediterranean Populations ◽

Behavioral Determinants ◽

The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet (MD)—the dietary pattern usually consumed by Mediterranean populations—can help promote a favorable health status and better quality of life. Uncovering the main factors associated with the adherence to MD may be useful in understanding and counteracting the global shift toward a Western diet, which has been documented also in the Mediterranean region. Here, we evaluated the adherence to MD and its major social and behavioral determinants in women from Catania, Southern Italy. This cross-sectional study included 841 women, aged 25–64 years, with no history of severe diseases. Adherence to MD was assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Associations between variables were tested by multivariable logistic regression analysis and expressed as an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Among social factors, medium and high educational levels were associated with an ideal intake of alcohol (OR = 4.059; 95%CI = 1.311–12.570; p = 0.015; OR = 4.258 95%CI = 1.068–16.976; p = 0.040; respectively), living in a couple with ideal intake of cereals (OR = 2.801 95%CI = 1.188–6.602; p = 0.018), and having children with an ideal intake of fruits (OR = 3.149; 95%CI = 1.245–7.762; p = 0.015). With respect to behaviors, current smoking was negatively associated with an ideal intake of meat (OR = 0.449; 95%CI = 0.0220–0.917; p = 0.028), while more engagement in physical activity was associated with an ideal intake of vegetables (OR = 6.148; 95%CI = 1.506–25.104; p = 0.011) and legumes (OR = 5.832; 95%CI = 1.414–24.063; p = 0.015). In line with these findings, moderately or highly physically active women were more likely to show medium or high adherence to MD than those who performed less physical activity (OR = 6.024; 95%CI = 1.192–30.440; p = 0.040; OR = 9.965 95%CI = 1.683–58.993; p = 0.011; respectively). Our results confirm an urgent need for public health strategies, which should take into account determinants of diet quality. Particularly, our study indicates that more engagement in physical activity is a major positive determinant of the adherence to MD.

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ADHERENCE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN (1ST CYCLE)

Revista Paulista de Pediatria ◽

10.1590/1984-0462/2021/39/2019259 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

Author(s):

Goreti Filipa Santos Marques ◽

Sara Maria Oliveira Pinto ◽

Ana Catarina Rodrigues da Silva Reis ◽

Tânia Daniela Barbosa Martins ◽

Ana Paula da Conceição ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Cardiometabolic Risk ◽

Average Weight ◽

Average Height ◽

Z Score ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Informed Consent Form ◽

Males And Females ◽

The Mediterranean

ABSTRACT Objective: To characterize the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) in students from elementary schools in Porto and Maia and analyze its association with sleep hygiene, physical activity, cardiometabolic risk, and school performance. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 891 Portuguese students: 455 boys (51%) and 436 girls (49%), aged between 9 and 11 years old (mean [M]=9.2, standard deviation [SD]=0.4), with an average weight of 35.9 kg (SD=8.1), average height of 1.4 m (SD=0.1), average body mass index (standardized BMI Z score for the pediatric age group) of 0.76 (SD=1.21); 59.5% of them had normal weight and 15.9% were obese. The students filled a questionnaire on the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in Children and Adolescents [KIDMED]), participated in a socio-demographic interview, and had their anthropometric data collected after their parents signed the informed consent form. Results: The results suggest high levels of adherence to the MD (77.6%) both in males and females. Using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, we found that the Z score was positively associated to cardiometabolic risk and the starting age of an extracurricular physical activity, and negatively associated to the average hours of sleep on a typical day both in males and females. We also identified a negative relation between KIDMED and the starting age of physical activity. Conclusions: This study has contributed to the knowledge of adherence to the MD among Portuguese elementary students and correlations with variables associated to a healthier lifestyle (MD, hours of sleep, and physical activity). Future studies should focus their attention on other countries and more heterogeneous samples.

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Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Associated with Physical Activity, Self-Concept and Sociodemographic Factors in University Student

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10080966 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 966 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Félix Zurita-Ortega ◽

Silvia San Román-Mata ◽

Ramón Chacón-Cuberos ◽

Manuel Castro-Sánchez ◽

José Muros

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Religious Beliefs ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Self Concept ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

The University

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and to examine the relationship between MD adherence, physical activity, self-concept, and other sociodemographic factors; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study (N = 597; 18.99 ± 0.64 years) was conducted in a sample of university students from Ceuta, Melilla, and Granada (Spain). Religious beliefs and place of residence were directly reported, while physical activity and adherence to the MD were self-reported using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) respectively. Self-concept was evaluated using the Five-Factor Self-Concept Scale; (3) Results: Of those students reporting high levels of habitual physical activity, 82.3% also reported high adherence to the MD, with 17.7% reporting a medium adherence. Of students reporting no physical activity, 25.7% also reported medium adherence to the MD. No significant associations were found between the MD and religious beliefs. It was observed that the university campus was associated with the level of adherence to the MD (p = 0.030), with adherence being lowest in Ceuta and Melilla. Finally, the MD was associated with academic (p = 0.001) and physical self-concept (p = 0.005); 4) Conclusions: The MD should be promoted to university students, particularly those studying at Ceuta and Melilla, given the present findings of lower MD adherence. In addition, as higher MD adherence was also highlighted with more positive self-concept, its promotion would be beneficial in wider educational contexts.

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Lifestyle Habits of Adults During The COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Cyprus: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-150140/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ourania Kolokotroni ◽

Maria Mosquera ◽

Annalisa Quattrocchi ◽

Alexandros Heraclides ◽

Christiana Demetriou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Support ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Measures ◽

Rank Test ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Lifestyle Behaviour ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and widespread control measures disrupted efforts to address lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD). This study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on all lifestyle medicine pillars.Methods This was a cross-sectional study on a convenient sample of adults residing in Cyprus during the Spring 2020 lockdown. Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire incorporating six validated tools regarding the following lifestyle behaviours before and during lockdown: adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity, stress and social support levels, sleep pattern and use of risky substances such as smoking and alcohol. Median total scores for each lifestyle pillar before and during lockdown were compared using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and stratified analyses for sociodemographic characteristics were performed.Results Of 745 participants, 74% were female and median age was 39 years. Overall participants reported significantly higher perceived stress score (22 v 25, p<0.01), lower social support score (71 v 68, p<0.001), and worse sleep quality score (4 v 5, p<0.01) during lockdown. Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence was moderate and increased significantly only in those practicing religious fasting (score of 6 v 7, p<0.01). Total minutes spent sitting increased (120 v 180, p<0.01) although overall physical activity score did not significantly change. Smoking intensity increased during lockdown whilst frequency of alcohol consumption decreased (ptrend=0.03 and <0.01, respectively). ConclusionLifestyle was adversely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown in Cyprus. Evidence from this study supports development of holistic lifestyle interventions during and following the pandemic to reduce short and long-term NCD risks by building on lifestyle behaviour strengths and addressing longstanding and emerging gaps and needs.

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Influence of Adiposity on Physical Activity in Schoolchildren: The Moderator Role of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12166474 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (16) ◽

pp. 6474

Author(s):

José Francisco López-Gil ◽

Antonio García-Hermoso ◽

Rafael Gomes Sentone ◽

Cristiano Israel Caetano ◽

Fernando Renato Cavichiolli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Food Habits ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Excess Adiposity ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Moderator Role ◽

Associative Analysis

Background: Studies were performed in order to determine the existing relationship between body composition and both physical activity (PA) levels and food habits. Nevertheless, no study has yet examined if the association between adiposity and PA in children is moderated by adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD). Methods: the cross-sectional and associative analysis involved a total of 370 children (55.1% boys) aged 6–13, from six different schools from the Murcia region of Spain. Results: The different values of moderator [adherence to the MD expressed as a Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) score] are shown by the slope and the different areas of significance. The first area was shown below ≤3.8, indicating that the unfavorable influence of excess of adiposity on PA could be intensified for children in this area. The second area was a significant positive area was shown above ≥9.3, expressing that the unfavorable influence of adiposity could be reduced for those who were above this estimation point. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that the adverse effects of excess adiposity on PA can be moderated by adherence to the MD among schoolchildren.

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Lifestyle habits of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Cyprus: evidence from a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10863-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ourania Kolokotroni ◽

Maria C. Mosquera ◽

Annalisa Quattrocchi ◽

Alexandros Heraclides ◽

Christiana Demetriou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Support ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Measures ◽

Rank Test ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Parametric Data

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread adoption of virus control measures have inevitably disrupted efforts to address lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD). This study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on all lifestyle medicine pillars, namely diet, physical activity, sleep, stress, social support and use of risky substances. Methods This was a cross-sectional study on a convenient sample of adults who resided in Cyprus during the Spring 2020 lockdown. Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire comprised of six validated tools regarding the following lifestyle behaviours before and during lockdown: adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity, stress and social support levels, sleep pattern and use of risky substances such as smoking and alcohol. Paired before and during lockdown comparisons for each lifestyle pillar were undertaken using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and Bowker symmetry Test where response was numerical (non-parametric data) and categorical respectively. Furthermore, stratified analyses for sociodemographic characteristics were performed. Results Out of 745 participants, 74% were female and median age was 39 years. Overall participants reported significantly higher perceived stress score (22 v 25, p < 0.01), lower social support score (71 v 68, p < 0.001), and worse sleep quality score (4 v 5, p < 0.01) during lockdown. Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence was moderate and increased significantly only in those practicing religious fasting (score of 6 v 7, p < 0.01). Total minutes spent sitting increased (120 v 180, p < 0.01) although overall physical activity score did not significantly change. Smoking intensity increased during lockdown whilst frequency of alcohol consumption decreased (ptrend = 0.03 and < 0.01, respectively). Conclusion Various lifestyle factors were adversely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown in Cyprus. Evidence from this study supports development of holistic lifestyle interventions during and following the pandemic to reduce short and long-term NCD risks by building on lifestyle behaviour strengths and addressing longstanding and emerging gaps and needs.

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