The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been associated with many health benefits. Poor adherence to MedDiet has been found among Lebanese adults, while in Syria, little is known about the adherence to MedDiet. A quantitative research approach was used, and data were collected through convenience sampling. The structure of the survey included the socio-economic and demographic data and the validated 14-point MedDiet assessment tool. The target population included 367 Lebanese and Syrian adults respectively residing in Lebanon and Syria. Descriptive statistics were used to explore the characteristics of the sample population. Adequate adherence MedDiet was determined if the Med-Diet score ≥ 9. Significant differences among the variables and the adherence to the MedDiet were examined using the chi-square test. Approximately 47.42% of participants reported adherence to MedDiet higher than 9, with a mean of 7.98. Lebanese participants, men, and those who are aged between 64 and 67, had higher adherence than Syrian participants, women, and other age groups, respectively. Lebanese participants (7.82 ± 2.32) had slightly higher adherence than Syrian participants (7.31 ± 2.04). Wine, sofrito, vegetables, and olive oil were mostly consumed by participants, with differences in consumption between the Lebanese and Syrian adults. The statistical analysis performed using the chi-square test showed no statistical difference (P>.05) between Lebanese and Syrian participants regarding their consumption of 160 red meat, butter/margarine, and sugary drinks. Future studies in the aged population are required to explore furthermore the adherence to MedDiet in Lebanon and Syria and its impact on health.

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus in 2020 prompted schools to shift their classes from a physical learning environment to an online one to implement measures of social distancing to limit the spread of the pandemic. This disruption negatively influenced the social interaction of children and their well-being. In Lebanon, the situation was further exacerbated due to the severe economic crisis that had and still has obvious negative effects on the well-being of children. This study aims to investigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis on the mental health of Lebanese children aged 5 to 14 years old and to assess their well-being in a post-pandemic world. Method: A quantitative research design was adopted, and the validated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to collect data. 966 responses were collected, among which 627 parental reports and 339 teacher reports. Descriptive analysis was conducted for categorical variables and continuous measures. Means were compared using the independent-sample t-test and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the association between continuous variables. And a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to compare the total SDQ difficulties score and sub-scores between the teacher and parents. Results: 34% of the study population are categorized as abnormal and 14.9% as borderline according to the SDQ score, and an expansion of mental health problems among these children is indicated. The study reveals that the most common mental health problems identified among these children are respectively conduct problems, peer, emotional, and hyperactivity problems, and prosocial problems. The main factors impacting the high rates of mental health problems among Lebanese children are gender, parental control, lack of discipline, poor-quality education background, parenting problems, low family income, physical defects among children, and the political situation of the country. Conclusion: This study highlights the necessity of promoting mental health awareness among parents and teachers and adopting intervention and prevention measures to help children in Lebanon deal with mental health challenges caused by the pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis.