Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and academic performance in youth: the UP&amp;DOWN study

Esteban‐Cornejo, Irene; Izquierdo‐Gómez, Rocío; Gómez‐Martínez, Sonia; Moledo, Carmen Padilla; Castro‐Piñero, José; Marcos, Ascensión; Veiga, Óscar L.

doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0927-9

Cited by 66 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Previous research has linked Mediterranean diet adherence to better academic performance of Mediterranean children [8, 36], and academic performance has been linked to self-esteem [24]. It is possible that the adolescents in the present sample had higher academic attainment which led to them more positively perceiving their school environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Association of lifestyle behaviours with self-esteem through health-related quality of life in Spanish adolescents

Knox

Muros

2017

Eur J Pediatr

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The present research examined the association of Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity with self-esteem through five components of health-related quality of life. Data were collected from 456 adolescents attending one of five schools in Granada, Spain using a cluster-randomised design. Participants completed questionnaires on Mediterranean diet adherence, physical activity, self-esteem and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Models were constructed to identify associations between Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity on self-esteem. Mediational analysis using bootstrapped confidence intervals examined possible mediation by five components of HRQoL. Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity engagement were associated with four components of HRQoL: more positive physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing, family relationships and autonomy support and perceptions of the school environment. Both lifestyle behaviours were positively associated with self-esteem. Both relationships were mediated through positive psychological wellbeing and perceptions of the school environment. Physical wellbeing was also a mediator of the relationship between physical activity and self-esteem. Conclusion: Interventions promoting Mediterranean diets or physical activity to adolescents may facilitate improvements in self-esteem in addition to wider health benefits previously identified. Approaches within such interventions targeting improvements in physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing and positive perceptions of the school environment may improve their efficacy. What is Known: • It is known that engagement in lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity is positively linked with psychological health. • Whilst its consumption is declining, the Mediterranean diet is nutritionally recommended and remains popular in parts of Greece, Southern Italy and Spain. Research into Mediterranean diet adherence and psychological health is lacking. What is New: • The present research furthers this knowledge by examining potential mechanisms through which two lifestyle behaviours (physical activity and following a Mediterranean diet) may be associated with self-esteem. • Implications for the promotion of positive mental health in young people. Mediterranean diet and physical activity were positively associated with self-efficacy via positive psychological self-concept and perceptions of the school environment. These novel findings can contribute to the development of more efficacious interventions targeting positive self-esteem in young people.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Association of lifestyle behaviours with self-esteem through health-related quality of life in Spanish adolescents

Knox

Muros

2017

Eur J Pediatr

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“…For instance, diets with an excess of fat and sugar can lead to increased overweight indices and a negative belief about oneself [33,34]. Moreover, several studies have shown that a worse adherence to the MD is associated with lower academic performance and subsequent negative academic self-concept [35], and negative emotions, such as higher levels of stress and anxiety, and a subsequent negative emotional self-concept [36]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Associated with Physical Activity, Self-Concept and Sociodemographic Factors in University Student

et al. 2018

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(1) Background: The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and to examine the relationship between MD adherence, physical activity, self-concept, and other sociodemographic factors; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study (N = 597; 18.99 ± 0.64 years) was conducted in a sample of university students from Ceuta, Melilla, and Granada (Spain). Religious beliefs and place of residence were directly reported, while physical activity and adherence to the MD were self-reported using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) respectively. Self-concept was evaluated using the Five-Factor Self-Concept Scale; (3) Results: Of those students reporting high levels of habitual physical activity, 82.3% also reported high adherence to the MD, with 17.7% reporting a medium adherence. Of students reporting no physical activity, 25.7% also reported medium adherence to the MD. No significant associations were found between the MD and religious beliefs. It was observed that the university campus was associated with the level of adherence to the MD (p = 0.030), with adherence being lowest in Ceuta and Melilla. Finally, the MD was associated with academic (p = 0.001) and physical self-concept (p = 0.005); 4) Conclusions: The MD should be promoted to university students, particularly those studying at Ceuta and Melilla, given the present findings of lower MD adherence. In addition, as higher MD adherence was also highlighted with more positive self-concept, its promotion would be beneficial in wider educational contexts.

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“…Several authors [4,8] have used the KIDMED test to determine if subjects had good, average or poor adherence to the MedDiet. The results of this study agreed with those of other Spanish authors [5,15,71,72], who have demonstrated that about 50% of Spanish children and adolescents in other areas of Spain present good MedDiet adherence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The MedDiet pattern is represented by a diet pyramid characterized by common proportions of food consumption in the 16 countries around the Mediterranean Sea [7]. The typical MedDiet is characterised by high intakes of fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains (largely unrefined) cereals, tree nuts, as well as olive oil as the principal source of added fat, along with high to moderate intakes of fish and seafood, moderate consumption of eggs, poultry and dairy products (cheese and yoghurt), and low consumption of red meat [5,7,8,9]. This diet model, plays a preventive role in the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This diet model, plays a preventive role in the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity [10,11]. Interestingly, good adherence to the MedDiet was positively associated with better academic performance in youths [8]. Despite the health benefits of the MedDiet, several studies have reported that dietary patterns in the Mediterranean region are changing to a more Westernised diet [11,12,13,14,15,16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dietary Calcium Intake and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Children: The ANIVA Study

Rubio-López

Llópis-González

Picó

et al. 2017

IJERPH

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of dietary calcium intake with anthropometric measures, physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) in 1176 Spanish children aged 6–9 years. Data were obtained from “Antropometría y Nutrición Infantil de Valencia” (ANIVA), a cross-sectional study of a representative sample. Dietary calcium intake assessed from three-day food records was compared to recommended daily intakes in Spain. Anthropometric measures (weight and height) were measured according to international standards and adherence to the MedDiet was evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) test. For the total sample of children, 25.8% had inadequate calcium intake, a significantly higher prevalence in girls (p = 0.006) and inadequate calcium intake was associated with lower height z-score (p = 0.001) for both sexes. In girls, there was an inverse relationship between calcium intake and body mass index (p = 0.001) and waist/hip ratio (p = 0.018). Boys presented a polarization in physical activity, reporting a greater level of both physical and sedentary activity in comparison with girls (p = 0.001). Children with poor adherence to MedDiet, even if they consume two yogurts or cheese (40 g) daily, adjusted by gender, age, total energy intake, physical activity and father’s level of education, are at risk of inadequate total calcium intake (odds ratio adjusted [ORa]: 3.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–9.94, p = 0.001). The intake of these dairy products was insufficient to cover calcium intake recommendations in this age group (6–9 years). It is important to prioritize health strategies that promote the MedDiet and to increase calcium intake in this age group.

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Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and academic performance in youth: the UP&DOWN study

Abstract: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may have a beneficial influence on academic performance in youth. Importantly, the benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on academic performance may be stronger as youth adhered to the optimal Mediterranean diet levels.

Cited by 66 publications

References 34 publications

Association of lifestyle behaviours with self-esteem through health-related quality of life in Spanish adolescents

Association of lifestyle behaviours with self-esteem through health-related quality of life in Spanish adolescents

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Associated with Physical Activity, Self-Concept and Sociodemographic Factors in University Student

Dietary Calcium Intake and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Children: The ANIVA Study

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