Social Capital and Self-Perceived Quality of Life-Interrelated Predictors of Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Older Adults

Abstract

Living a healthy life in a supporting environment are key elements towards higher diet quality in older age. The Mediterranean Diet in Older Adults (MINOA) study collected cross-sectional data from adults ≥65 years old (n = 436) from April 2014 to November 2015 in rural Crete, aiming to understand the interrelations between Mediterranean Diet adherence, Social Capital and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL). Multivariate linear regression, carried out using SPSS 20.0, revealed that both Social Capital and HRQL has a positive impact on Mediterranean Diet adherence after adjustment for confounders and independently of each other. Total Social Capital as well as its Value of Life/Social Agency component (β = 0.04 and β = 0.1, p < 0.05, respectively) had a positive relationship with Mediterranean Diet adherence. As far as HRQL is concerned, only the Physical Health components were found to have a positive association with Mediterranean Diet adherence (β = 0.09, p < 0.001). At the same time Total Social Capital was also seen to have a positive relationship with perceived Physical and Mental Health (β = 0.21 and β = 0.28, p < 0.001, respectively). In a population of older adults Social Capital, HRQL and Mediterranean Diet adherence seem to share intricate interrelations that impact both diet quality and quality of life overall.

Depression mediates the relationship between social capital and health‐related quality of life among Chinese older adults in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study

“…Our findings showed a significant positive correlation between social capital and quality of life among older Chinese people, which was similar to previous findings (Apostolaki et al, 2021; Sun & Lu, 2020; Yang et al, 2020). This was further confirmed by our regression analysis that found that social capital positively predicts quality of life and is an important protective factor for quality of life, which was consistent with the findings of Lane et al (2020).…”

Social capital and healthy eating among two ethnic minority groups in Yunnan Province, Southwest China: the mediating role of social support and nutrition knowledge

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