The relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, quality of life, anthropometric measurements, and some biochemical parameters in patients with coronary artery disease

Objective: this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, quality of life, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical parameters in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: a total of 316 adults (≥ 19-91 years-old), 139 (44 %) female and 177 (56 %) male, participated in the study. Three groups were created: the group with normal coronary arteries, the low-medium risk group with 1-69 % stenosis in coronary arteries, and the high-risk group with ≥ 70 % stenosis. In the study, anthropometric and some biochemical parameters were examined. The "Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS)" and the "Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36)" were used. Results: the maximum mean age of the participants was 61.72 ± 11.03 years in the high CAD risk group, the prevalence of obesity was 58.6% in the low-medium CAD risk group. In the group with normal arteries, MEDAS (p1 < 0.05, p2 < 0.05) and SF-36 scores (physical function, pain, vitality sub-dimensions) were found to be higher (p1 < 0.05). A significant correlation was found between MEDAS and total cholesterol (r = -0.235, p = 0.013), LDL cholesterol (r = 0.212, p = 0.025), social function (r = -0.273, p = 0.006), general health (r = -0.223, p = 0.023), and mental health (r = -0.120, p = 0.033) parameters, but not with other parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: disseminating Mediterranean diet as a health policy may be effective in both reducing CAD risk and improving quality of life.