scholarly journals Level of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Weight Status among Adolescent Female Gymnasts: A Cross-Sectional Study

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1135
Author(s):  
Ioanna Kontele ◽  
Maria G. Grammatikopoulou ◽  
Tonia Vassilakou

Adolescent female gymnasts are a vulnerable population in terms of their diet, as their nutritional needs are higher due to their growth and high daily training demands. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a well-known dietary pattern that is associated with a greater nutritional adequacy and a lower prevalence of overweight. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the degree of adherence to the MD among adolescent female athletes who participated in all disciplines of gymnastics in Greece, as well as to explore the potential correlations between MD adherence, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). A total of 269 female gymnasts (between 11–18 years old) completed the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and reported their weight and height. Approximately 10% of the participants were underweight and a mere 5.6% were classified as overweight. A high adherence to the MD was reported by 34.9% of the sample and this was correlated with a healthier BMI. Moreover, specific eating habits, such as eating nuts 2–3 times per week and eating fast-food less than once-weekly, were also associated with BMI. Athletes, parents, and coaches of gymnastics should be informed and educated regarding balanced nutrition habits. Future studies could evaluate adherence to MD, as well as the factors that influence the eating behaviors of adolescent female and male athletes in various sports.

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 571-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rena I. Kosti ◽  
Aikaterini Kanellopoulou ◽  
Evanthia Fragkedaki ◽  
Venetia Notara ◽  
Sofia-Panagiota Giannakopoulou ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Argyropoulos ◽  
Evangelia Machini

AbstractObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of depression later in life in an urban area and to investigate the associations between possible risk and protective factors including adherence to a Mediterranean diet.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among the active members of the open day-care centres for older people, in East-Attica, Greece. An anonymous questionnaire was developed to collect basic demographic and medical data, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was applied to screen the elderly for depressive symptoms, the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) was used to quantify sleep disturbances and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Statistics was processed with SPSS 24.0.Results154 older adults took part in the study. According to GDS-15, 24.7% (21.4% moderate and 3.2% severe type) screened positive for depressive symptoms. 29.9% of the participants reported inadequate sleep, based on AIS. Depression and insomnia in older participants were more frequent in women than in men, in lower educated, in participants with lower monthly income and in older people with comorbidity (p < 0.05).MDS revealed that adherence to a Mediterranean diet was moderate for 64.3% of the participants, and it was high for 34.4%. Depression diagnosed by a physician, was strongly associated with MDS (p = 0.035) and AIS (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis results revealed a diet higher in vegetables and lower in poultry and alcohol was associated with decreased likelihood of developing symptoms of depression later in life.ConclusionsOur results support that depression in older adults is common and strongly associated with several risk factors. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet may protect against the development of depressive symptoms in older age. Moreover, not only diet but also sleep-deficiency might contribute to the depression later in life.


Author(s):  
Andrea Maugeri ◽  
Martina Barchitta ◽  
Valerio Fiore ◽  
Giuliana Rosta ◽  
Giuliana Favara ◽  
...  

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.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Predieri ◽  
Fiorella Sinesio ◽  
Erminio Monteleone ◽  
Sara Spinelli ◽  
Marta Cianciabella ◽  
...  

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with many health benefits. The association between the MD and food neophobia (FN) is still unexplored in adults. The present cross-sectional study was aimed to explore the relationships between adherence to the MD, FN, and sociodemographic variables in a large Italian cohort. Familiarity and frequency use (FFI) of prototypical and non-prototypical Mediterranean foods were used to calculate a new adherence index: the Italian Taste Mediterranean Index (ITMI). The FFI of all Mediterranean foods increased with age, while butter, soft drinks, red/cured meat, and sweets were more common in younger people. Accordingly, ITMI increased with age (F2,2384 = 54.11; p < 0.0001). Women recorded a higher ITMI (6.70) than men (6.10). Individuals with high FN showed higher FFI for soft drinks and sweets and lower ones for most typical MD foods, than individuals with low FNs. A decrease of ITMI was recorded with the increase of the FN(F2,2384 = 22.84; p < 0.0001). With ageing, ITMI increased even in individuals with a high FN. The results suggest that FN may negatively affect adherence to the MD, lowering its potential health benefits, in the adult population. Monitoring of food habits, dietary education, and anxiety management, may be valuable tools to control FN and support the adherence to the MD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Veronese ◽  
Maria Notarnicola ◽  
Anna M. Cisternino ◽  
Rosa Inguaggiato ◽  
Vito Guerra ◽  
...  

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