The Effect of Adherence to Mediterranean Diet on Quality of Life in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Mediterranean diet adherence on quality of life in individuals with a history of coronary artery disease. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 378 patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease between the ages of 18 and 65. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire including questions on demographic characteristics, dietary habits, the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS), and the Cardiac Quality of Life Scale (HeartQoL). The IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 program was used in the analysis of data. Results: The mean HeartQoL score of the patients was 25.33±10.42, and the mean MEDAS score was 6.13±1.69. Diet quality was low in 62% of the participants. No significant effect of the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on blood pressure and lipid profile was detected (p>0.05). MEDAS score (B=3.04; 95% CI: 2.52–3.57; p<0.001) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (B=–1.04; 95% CI: –1.68– –0.40; p=0.002) were found to be associated with HeartQoL score. Education level (B=0.23; 95% CI: 0.05–0.41; p=0.013) and waist circumference (B=–0.49; 95% CI: –0.08– –0.02; p=0.002) were found to be associated with MEDAS score. Conclusion: Diet quality is generally low in coronary artery disease patients. High diet quality positively affects emotional and physical quality of life. On the other hand, high HbA1c levels negatively affect quality of life. Therefore, patients should be made aware of healthy nutrition, and the treatment process should include strategies to ensure glycemic control.