Mediterranean diet and socio-economic status in Greek adolescents

Abstract

Purpose -The study aims to explore the effect of socio-economic status (SES) on energy balance behaviours and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), in Greek adolescents. Design/methodology/approach -391 students, 14-16 years old, have been recruited from two public high schools located in low SES areas of Athens and two private high schools from higher SES areas. Students completed a specifically designed energy balance behaviours questionnaire together with the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents and the KIDMED index. Findings -Adolescents of low SES reported lower adherence to the MD ( p , 0.05), higher consumption of soft drinks ( p , 0.001), lower breakfast consumption ( p , 0.001), fewer meals per day consumed with parents ( p , 0.05), lower physical activity levels ( p , 0.01) and more TV viewing hours ( p , 0.01) compared to adolescents of higher SES. Research limitations/implications -Family annual income, an indicator of family SES, has not been recorded, since this was considered a sensitive and difficult information to be obtained by the adolescents.Originality/value -This study was conducted during a period of Greek economic recession and was designed to investigate the effect of lower SES on diet quality and unhealthy behaviours in the youth. Understanding and limiting possible health inequalities in Greece, due to the economic crisis, is of paramount importance.

impact of family-based nutrition education intervention program on eating habit among obese school age children in Rania city / Iraq

“…Regarding the family economic status and its association with the children's level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, it is presented that there was no significant association between these two variables. This result is not expected as several other study attained different outcomes and found that there is a significant relationship between them (20,21).…”

Changes in eating behaviours due to crises, disasters and pandemics: a scoping review

“…Ten articles reported on changes in mealtime behaviours after a crisis: five during COVID-19 (Ammar et al , 2020; Ben Hassen et al , 2020; Carroll et al , 2020; Romeo-Arroyo et al , 2020; Sidor and Rzymski, 2020), four during an economic recession (Bruening et al , 2012; Carney, 2012; Costarelli et al , 2013; Purdam et al , 2016) and one in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (Harvey, 2017). The mealtime behaviours found in this review were number of meals eaten, frequency of meals and whom meals were eaten with.…”

“…Dietary pattern changes is discussed in 31 articles: 15 focused on COVID-19 (Adams et al , 2020; Ammar et al , 2020; Ben Hassen et al , 2020; Carroll et al , 2020; Castellini et al , 2020; Di Renzo et al , 2020; Górnicka et al , 2020; Laguna et al , 2020; Papandreou et al , 2020; Pellegrini et al , 2020; Phillipou et al , 2020; Romeo-Arroyo et al , 2020; Ruiz-Roso et al , 2020; Scarmozzino and Visioli, 2020; Sidor and Rzymski, 2020), 8 focused on natural disasters (Carmassi et al , 2015; Cunsolo Willox et al , 2012; Forbes, 2017; Friel et al , 2014; Kuijer and Boyce, 2012; Larrance et al , 2007; Ma et al , 2020; Turner-McGrievy et al , 2020), 7 focused on economic recession (Alves and Perelman, 2019; Bonaccio et al , 2014; Bruening et al , 2012; Carney, 2012; Costarelli et al , 2013; Dore et al , 2003; Dowler and Lambie-Mumford, 2015) and 1 focussed on terrorism (Spillman, 2003). All articles, except for one, found that crisis did have an impact on the population’s dietary pattern.…”

“…The consumption of sweets may be an emotional eating response to cope with the stress of crisis (Kuijer and Boyce, 2012). Fast food, ready-made meals and sugar-sweetened beverages were more commonly eaten during economic recessions or natural disasters than during the COVID-19 lockdown period (Bruening et al , 2012; Carney, 2012; Costarelli et al , 2013; Dowler and Lambie-Mumford, 2015; Forbes, 2017). Crises such as economic recession and climate change can also lead to a shift away from traditional diets towards diets made up of much more processed food with higher salt, sugar and fat contents (Bonaccio et al , 2014; Costarelli et al , 2013; Cunsolo Willox et al , 2012).…”

“…Fast food, ready-made meals and sugar-sweetened beverages were more commonly eaten during economic recessions or natural disasters than during the COVID-19 lockdown period (Bruening et al , 2012; Carney, 2012; Costarelli et al , 2013; Dowler and Lambie-Mumford, 2015; Forbes, 2017). Crises such as economic recession and climate change can also lead to a shift away from traditional diets towards diets made up of much more processed food with higher salt, sugar and fat contents (Bonaccio et al , 2014; Costarelli et al , 2013; Cunsolo Willox et al , 2012). Two articles in this literature review did not specify the specific kinds of foods eaten but did note an increased consumption of unhealthy food after the crisis event (Carmassi et al , 2015; Friel et al , 2014).…”