Determinants of Adherence to Healthy Eating Patterns in a Population of Children and Adolescents: Evidence on the Mediterranean Diet in the City of Mataró (Catalonia, Spain)

Abstract: Despite its benefits, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is being abandoned or not adopted by young generations in most Mediterranean countries. In Spain, up to 69% of the child and adolescent population has been found to have suboptimal adherence to the MD. The aim of this study was to analyze w...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Arcila Agudelo, Ana María, Ferrer-Svoboda, Carmen, Torres-Fernández, Teresa, Farran, Andreu
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/174910
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/174910
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Hàbits alimentaris
Cuina mediterrània
Infants
Adolescents
Mataró (Catalunya)
Food habits
Mediterranean cooking
Children
Teenagers
Mataró (Catalonia)
Descripción
Sumario:Abstract: Despite its benefits, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is being abandoned or not adopted by young generations in most Mediterranean countries. In Spain, up to 69% of the child and adolescent population has been found to have suboptimal adherence to the MD. The aim of this study was to analyze which factors are associated with an optimal adherence to the MD in school-age children and adolescents from Mataró, Spain. A cross-sectional study was performed on 1177 children and adolescents aged between 6 and 18 years from Mataró. The Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED index) was used to evaluate adherence to a MD. We found that over 59% of subjects showed suboptimal adherence to a MD, with this prevalence being higher for secondary school than for primary school children. The factors positively associated with following an optimal MD were the mother's education level, children at the primary school level, the absence of distractions at breakfast, and regular physical activity. The availability of spending money was negatively associated with the likelihood of optimal adherence to a MD. Future research should study more in-depth the possible causality between the factors studied and adherence to a MD. Keywords: healthy eating patterns; Mediterranean diet; children; adolescents; KIDMED