Mediterranean diet adherence and weight status among Sicilian Middle school adolescents

Abstract

During the last decades, an important modification of dietary habits has been observed in the Mediterranean countries, especially among young people. The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and its relationship with weight status in a group of Italian middle school adolescents by using the KIDMED test. The evaluation of weight status revealed that 61.5, 26.8, and 11.7% were normal weight, overweight, and obese, respectively. MedDiet adherence was high in 13.3%, average in 27.1%, and low in 59.6% of the students with no differences by gender and age. MedDiet adherence was found significatively higher in normal weight and in played sport adolescents, in comparison to the overweight and obese ones (p < .001) who showed incorrect nutritional habits. This cross-sectional study shows a very low MedDiet adherence among adolescent living in the Mediterranean basin and highlights the role of Mediterranean dietary pattern in the fight against obesity.

Keywords:

• Mediterranean diet
• adolescents
• weight status
• BMI
• KIDMED

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank teachers and adolescent’s families for their support during the survey. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).