Objective: To assess prevailing food patterns among Balearic Islands' adolescents, and socio-economic and lifestyle determinants. Design: Cross-sectional nutritional survey carried out

The aim of the present work was to assess the prevalence of the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in Balearic Islands adolescents, and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors that might determine adherence to the MDP. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands between 2007 and 2008. A random sample (n 1231) of the adolescent population (12-17 years old) was interviewed. Dietary questionnaires and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-economic status, parental education level and lifestyle factors were used. Dietary habits were assessed by means of two 24 h recalls and a quantitative FFQ. Adherence to the MDP was defined according to a score constructed considering the consumption of nine MDP characteristic components: high MUFA:SFA ratio, moderate ethanol consumption, high legumes, cereals and roots, fruits, vegetables and fish consumption, and low consumption of meat and milk. Then, socio-demographic, lifestyle and health status variables that could determine a higher or ower adherence were assessed. The mean adherence was 57·9 (SD 8·9) % and the median adherence was 57·3 %. Half of the Balearic Islands adolescents (50·5 %) showed an adherence to the MDP comprised between 52·7 and 62·8 %. By multivariate analyses, a high maternal level of education, increased physical activity, reduced alcohol intake and abstinence from smoking were independent associations of better adherence to the MDP. The promotion of not only the MDP but also the Mediterranean lifestyle, including greater physical activity, should be reinforced among the Balearic younger generations.

The aim of this work was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of obesity in the Balearic Islands' adolescents. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands (2007Islands ( -2008. A random sample (n 1231) of the adolescent population (12-17 year old) was interviewed. Anthropometric measurements, two non-consecutive 24 h recalls and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to sociodemographic and lifestyle variables including the physical activity questionnaire were used. The prevalence of overweight was 19·9 % (boys) and 15·5 % (girls), and obesity 12·7 % (boys) and 8·5 % (girls). The main risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of obesity were low parental education level (boys OR: 3·47; 95 % CI: 1·58, 7·62; girls OR: 3·29; 95 % CI: 1·38, 7·89), to skip meals (boys OR: 4·99; 95 % CI: 2·1, 11·54; girls OR: 2·20; 95 % CI: 0·99, 4·89), age (12-13-year-old boys; OR: 2·75; 95 % CI: 1·14, 6·64), attention to mass media (television (TV) þ radio; boys OR: 1·50; 95 % CI: 0·81, 2·84; girls OR: 2·06; 95 % CI: 0·91, 4·68), short sleep (boys OR: 3·42; 95 % CI: 0·88, 13·26), low parental socioeconomic status (girls OR: 3·24, 95% CI: 1·04, 10·05 ) and smoking (girls OR: 2·51; 95 % CI: 0·88, 7·13). A programme of action including school healthy education and promotion programmes targeted at parents and adolescents are needed. These programmes may be mainly focused to increase educational level, to make the adolescents to be aware of to skip meals and to smoke are not appropriate methods to reduce the risk of obesity, but the usefulness is to do not eat while watching TV, to sleep 8-10 h/d and to be physically active.

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Over the last decade, the immigrant population of the Balearic Islands archipelago (Spain), in the Mediterranean, has risen to 22% of its total population. The aim of this study was to assess food consumption patterns among Balearic Islands' adolescents depending on their origin. A population-based cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands (2007-2008; n = 1,231; 12-17 years old). Dietary assessment was based on a 145-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Food consumption differences between the adolescents' point of origin and time of arrival were been studied, as well as average daily meals and snacks. The adolescents' origin and number of years living in the Balearic Islands were also assessed. Native adolescents and immigrants from other Mediterranean countries showed healthier food consumption patterns than their peers from non-Mediterranean countries. Immigrant adolescents adapted their eating patterns to native dietary patterns increasingly, the longer they lived in the Balearic Islands.