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Pavlidou E, Papadopoulou SK, Alexatou O, Voulgaridou G, Mentzelou M, Biskanaki F, Psara E, Tsourouflis G, Lefantzis N, Dimoliani S, Apostolou T, Sampani A, Chatziprodromidou IP, Angelakou EP, Giaginis C. Childhood Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Childhood Obesity, Specific Sociodemographic, and Lifestyle Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pre-School Children. EPIDEMIOLOGIA 2023; 5:11-28. [PMID: 38247997 PMCID: PMC10801514 DOI: 10.3390/epidemiologia5010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been related with a decreased probability of overweight/obesity as well as central obesity at all stages of the human life, decreasing the risk of diverse disease states and improving quality of life. Over the last few years, the prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity and especially abdominal obesity has highly increased worldwide, being associated with a higher likelihood of overweight/obesity as well as central obesity at the next stages of the life during adulthood. The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship of MD compliance with sociodemographic, anthropometry and lifestyle features in pre-school children aged 2-5 years old. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study, which includes 5188 pre-school children from diverse regions of Greece. Relevant questionnaires were applied to evaluate the sociodemographic features of the enrolled children. Anthropometric parameters were measured by relevant techniques. Qualified questionnaires were utilized for assessing several lifestyle factors such as physical activity, quality of life, breastfeeding practices, MD adherence, as well as the prevalence of childhood asthma and diabetes mellitus type I. RESULTS Of the enrolled children, 41.7% showed low MD compliance and 36.4% of them indicated moderated compliance, while only 21.9% of them showed a high MD adherence. Overweight/obesity was noted in 24.2% of the assigned children, while abdominal obesity was noticed in 18.2% of them. Higher MD compliance was related with an elevated prevalence of sex (boys, p = 0.0005), Greek nationality (p = 0.0088), rural type of residence (p = 0.0099), childhood overweight/obesity (p < 0.0001) and abdominal obesity (p < 0.0001), lower childbirth weight (p < 0.0001), increased physical activity (p = 0.0041), improved quality of life (p = 0.0008), exclusive breastfeeding (p < 0.0001), childhood asthma (p = 0.0001) and diabetes mellitus type 1 (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS A higher MD adherence is associated with specific sociodemographic, better anthropometric, and beneficial lifestyle factors in pre-school children. However, MD compliance remains low or moderate in the vast majority of children aged 2-5 years old. Thus, future public strategies and policies should be performed to inform parents of the potential beneficial effects of MD against obesity and related chronic diseases at the next stage of their children's lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Pavlidou
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | - Sousana K. Papadopoulou
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.K.P.); (G.V.)
| | - Olga Alexatou
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | - Gavriela Voulgaridou
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.K.P.); (G.V.)
| | - Maria Mentzelou
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | | | - Evmorfia Psara
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | - Gerasimos Tsourouflis
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Medical School, University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikos Lefantzis
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical School, Attikon Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Sophia Dimoliani
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | - Thomas Apostolou
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Anastasia Sampani
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Exakousti-Petroula Angelakou
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
| | - Constantinos Giaginis
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81400 Myrina, Greece; (E.P.); (O.A.); (M.M.); (E.P.); (S.D.); (E.-P.A.)
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