Relationship between Mediterranean diet adherence and body composition parameters in older adults from the Mediterranean region

Teraž, Kaja (author), Puš, Katarina (author), Pišot, Saša (author), Cikač, Ana (author), Šimunič, Boštjan (author)

In recent decades, the rapid spread of various communication media has led to changes in traditional eating habits. In the Mediterranean region, the classic (Mediterranean) dietary pattern has been lost as a result. This has led to a shift in eating habits towards unhealthy eating patterns, which in turn has resulted in an inadequate distribution of body composition. It is known that, among other things, the number of non-communicable diseases increases with the inadequate distribution of body composition. The aim of our study was to examine the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) of older adults in the Mediterranean region in relation to specific body composition parameters. This study included 521 older adults with a mean age of 69.6 ± 6.3 years. Body composition was measured using the BIA 101 Anniversary device (Akern s.r.l., Florence, Italy) and adherence to the MD was assessed using the MEDLIFE index questionnaire. This study found significant differences in body composition between males and females. The mean adherence to the MD was 17.0 ± 3.3 points among the participants and there was higher adherence in females (p = 0.002, ηp$^2$ = 0.019). A multiple linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between the body composition parameters and MD. Multiple linear regression models were significant for reactance, fat mass (%), fat-free mass (%), skeletal muscle index, and total body water (%), with specific individual MEDLIFE items such as the consumption of processed meat, meat, white meat, fruit, vegetables, olive oil and limiting snacks between meals. Moreover, promising correlations were found between certain MD characteristics and BIA parameters, but the overall health effects of the MD remain unclear.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nutrition, elderly, body composition, healthy ageing, epidemiology
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, iss. 21, art. 3598
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-169400
• UDC: 612.395-053.9
• ISSN on article: 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16213598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 212862211
• Publication date in RUL: 27.05.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Nutrients
• Shortened title: Nutrients
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6643
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2948140

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prehrana, starostniki, telesna sestava, zdravo staranje, epidemiologija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0381
• Name: Kineziologija za kakovost življenja

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J7-2605
• Name: Validacija markerja mišične kakovosti za diagnosticiranje sarkopenije