Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Among Families from Four Countries in the Mediterranean Basin

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The cultural and socioeconomic changes to which societies are exposed can alter individuals' lifestyles and dietary habits. The nutritional patterns of Mediterranean countries may also be affected by these factors at varying levels, depending on the changing social characteristics of the countries. This study aimed to determine Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) adherence among family members from four Mediterranean countries (Türkiye, Spain, Italy, and Lebanon). <b>Methods</b>: The survey was structured around sociodemographic data, family relationships, the Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS), the Mediterranean lifestyle index (MEDLIFE), the Mediterranean diet quality index (KIDMED), and the obstacles and drivers of MedDiet adherence. <b>Results</b>: The data were obtained from adults (n = 812), with the contribution of their children (n = 500) if they had any. According to the MEDAS, 22% of the adults strongly adhered to the MedDiet. Similar results were obtained when Mediterranean lifestyle adherence was analyzed using the MEDLIFE score, with 20% of the adults presenting a strong adherence, while significantly stronger adherence was found in Lebanon than in the other countries. Regarding the children and adolescents, around 30% presented strong adherence to the MedDiet. Price, availability, and accessibility were significant obstacles, whereas the perceptions of health and diet quality were identified as the drivers of the MedDiet. <b>Conclusions</b>: Overall, our results highlight the need for national policies to reduce the economic burden of healthy food options while encouraging equitable access to re-popularize the MedDiet pattern. Future research should focus on intervention strategies tailored to different age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds, the long-term impact of family-based strategies, and the cultural influences on MedDiet adherence.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nutrients
Published
2025-03-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071157
Citations
7
Primary Topic
Nutritional Studies and Diet
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
13.15

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article

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Among Families from Four Countries in the Mediterranean Basin

Fatima Abou Abbass, Nada Nehme, Metin Güldaş, Francesca Scazzina et al.
7 citations
Nutrients
Nutritional Studies and Diet
13.15
article

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Among Families from Four Countries in the Mediterranean Basin

Fatima Abou Abbass, Nada Nehme, Metin Güldaş, Francesca Scazzina, Noemí Boqué, Nurcan Özyazıcıoğlu, Özge Yeşildemir, Marco de la Feld, Elif Yıldız, Lorena Calderón-Pérez, Ozan Gürbüz, Perla Degli Innocenti, Giuseppe Salvio
article en
7 citations

Abstract

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The cultural and socioeconomic changes to which societies are exposed can alter individuals' lifestyles and dietary habits. The nutritional patterns of Mediterranean countries may also be affected by these factors at varying levels, depending on the changing social characteristics of the countries. This study aimed to determine Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) adherence among family members from four Mediterranean countries (Türkiye, Spain, Italy, and Lebanon). <b>Methods</b>: The survey was structured around sociodemographic data, family relationships, the Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS), the Mediterranean lifestyle index (MEDLIFE), the Mediterranean diet quality index (KIDMED), and the obstacles and drivers of MedDiet adherence. <b>Results</b>: The data were obtained from adults (n = 812), with the contribution of their children (n = 500) if they had any. According to the MEDAS, 22% of the adults strongly adhered to the MedDiet. Similar results were obtained when Mediterranean lifestyle adherence was analyzed using the MEDLIFE score, with 20% of the adults presenting a strong adherence, while significantly stronger adherence was found in Lebanon than in the other countries. Regarding the children and adolescents, around 30% presented strong adherence to the MedDiet. Price, availability, and accessibility were significant obstacles, whereas the perceptions of health and diet quality were identified as the drivers of the MedDiet. <b>Conclusions</b>: Overall, our results highlight the need for national policies to reduce the economic burden of healthy food options while encouraging equitable access to re-popularize the MedDiet pattern. Future research should focus on intervention strategies tailored to different age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds, the long-term impact of family-based strategies, and the cultural influences on MedDiet adherence.

NutrientsVol. 17(7)
University of Parma (IT), Bursa Uludağ Üni̇versi̇tesi̇ (TR), Lebanese University (LB), Technological Center of Nutrition and Health (ES), Enco (Italy) (IT)
European Commission
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Nutritional Studies and Diet
13.15
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