The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Mediterranean diet adherence: A narrative systematic review

Farrugia, Francesca; Refalo, Daniel; Bonello, Dilan; Cuschieri, Sarah

doi:10.1177/02601060231187511

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 111 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In this sense, we have observed that most of the participants reported not having changed their MedDiet adherence during confinement, which has been rarely reported in previous articles [52]. This fact could well be attributed to the support provided by the PREDIMED-Plus fieldworkers to the participants and the empowerment of participants due to the knowledge acquired during the intervention [53]. Lastly, our results provide new evidence regarding gender inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic, an important and understudied topic.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Oncina-Cánovas,

Compañ-Gabucio,

Vioque

et al. 2024

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The COVID-19 lockdown represented an immense impact on human health, which was characterized by lifestyle and dietary changes, social distancing and isolation at home. Some evidence suggests that these consequences mainly affected women and altered relevant ongoing clinical trials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status and changes in diet, physical activity (PA), sleep and self-reported health status (SRH) as perceived by older adult men and women with metabolic syndrome during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: We analyzed data from 4681 Spanish adults with metabolic syndrome. We carried out a telephone survey during May and June 2020 to collect information on demographics, dietary habits, PA, sleep, SRH and anthropometric data. Results: The mean age of participants was 64.9 years at recruitment, and 52% of participants were men. Most participants (64.1%) perceived a decrease in their PA during confinement. Regarding gender-specific differences, a higher proportion of women than men perceived a decrease in their PA (67.5% vs. 61.1%), Mediterranean diet adherence (20.9% vs. 16.8%), sleep hours (30.3% vs. 19.1%), sleep quality (31.6% vs. 18.2%) and SRH (25.9% vs. 11.9%) (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown affected women more negatively, particularly their self-reported diet, PA, sleep and health status.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Oncina-Cánovas,

Compañ-Gabucio,

Vioque

et al. 2024

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, one of the most healthful dietary patterns, during the COVID-19 pandemic was examined in some studies conducted mostly in Mediterranean countries and a few in non-Mediterranean countries [ 68 ]. As summarized in recent systematic reviews [ 69 , 70 ], results were heterogeneous depending on several potential factors including the methods to assess Mediterranean diet adherence, the use of different thresholds of adherence, and the study countries. In agreement with the systematic review by Della Valle et al [ 69 ], which considered only studies that used validated scales of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the overall results point to an increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet and/or an increased intake of typical Mediterranean diet foods.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of working from home on lifestyle behaviors and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study

Scoditti,

Bodini,

Sabina

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to relevant changes in everyday life worldwide. One of these changes has been a rapid transition to and an increasing implementation of working from home (WH) modality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mandatory WH during the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle behaviors, Mediterranean diet adherence, body weight, and depression. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted in the early 2022 at the National Research Council of Italy using ad hoc questions and validated scales collecting information on physical activity, sedentary behavior, hobbies/pastimes, dietary habits including adherence to the Mediterranean diet, body weight, and depression during WH compared with before WH. 748 respondents were included in the study. An increased sedentary lifetime was reported by 48% of respondents; however, the subsample of workers who previously performed moderate physical activity intensified this activity. Body weight gain during WH was self-reported in 39.9% of respondents. Mediterranean diet adherence increased (p≪0.001) during WH compared with before WH. The average level of mental health did not record an overall variation; however, the proportion of subjects with mild and moderate depression increased (p = 0.006), while workers who reported values indicative of depression before the transition declared an improvement. These findings highlight health-related impact of WH during the COVID-19 pandemic that may inform future strategies and policies to improve employees’ health and well-being.

show abstract

“…There are several risk factors for COVID-19, including dietary style and lifestyle [ 21 ]. Indeed, an increased risk of severe COVID-19 has been observed in patients following the Western diet, which provides a high intake of saturated fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates [ 24 ]. This dietary pattern is known to dysregulate the immune response and impair the host’s defense against viruses [ 25 ], stimulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to cytokine storm [ 26 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediterranean Diet Influence on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Adverse Reaction: Friend or Foe?

Gualtieri,

Frank,

Cianci

et al. 2024

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) has long been recognized for its health-promoting attributes, with proven benefits in preventing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, MedDiet’s potential to mitigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection gained attention. This study aims to investigate the interplay among MedDiet adherence, immune system response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and potential sex-related variations. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted through collecting data from a web survey for the Italian population. Adherence to the MedDiet was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS); in addition, COVID-19 symptoms and vaccination details were also obtained. Results: Significant associations between MedDiet adherence, COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccine-related side effects were observed. Notably, females demonstrated distinct responses, reporting lymph node enlargement and a different prevalence and severity of vaccine side effects compared to males. Conclusions: This study highlights the protective role of the MedDiet against COVID-19 and emphasizes the relevance of sex-specific responses in vaccination outcomes according to MEDAS score.

show abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Mediterranean diet adherence: A narrative systematic review

Cited by 5 publications

References 111 publications

More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

More Adult Women than Men at High Cardiometabolic Risk Reported Worse Lifestyles and Self-Reported Health Status in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Effects of working from home on lifestyle behaviors and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study

Mediterranean Diet Influence on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Adverse Reaction: Friend or Foe?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About