Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is a Strong Predictor of Tic Severity in Children and Adolescents With Tourette Syndrome

This cross-sectional study explored Mediterranean Diet (MedD) adherence and tic severity in 66 children with Tourette Syndrome/tic disorder and 31 healthy controls, aged 9–17 years. Participants completed questionnaires assessing lifestyle, KIDMED scores, and tic severity (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale Score). Analyses included t -tests, analysis of variance, χ 2 , correlations, and regression modeling. Average KIDMED scores were low (4.27), with lower scores among National School Lunch Program free and reduced-price participants and higher scores among physically active youths. Greater MedD adherence predicted reduced tic severity ( P = .001). Findings suggest that dietary quality may influence Tourette syndrome symptom expression, supporting initiatives promoting MedD-aligned eating opportunities for youths.