My SciELO
Services on Demand
Journal
Article
Indicators
- Cited by SciELO
- Access statistics
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in SciELO
- Similars in Google
Share
Nutrición Hospitalaria
On-line version ISSN 1699-5198Print version ISSN 0212-1611
Abstract
BRAZO-SAYAVERA, Javier et al. Inequalities in the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and physical fitness in the young population during the COVID-19 lockdown. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2023, vol.40, n.2, pp.391-399. Epub June 05, 2023. ISSN 1699-5198. https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.04225.
Objective:
this study analyzed the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and proxy-reported physical fitness among Spanish and Brazilian youths during the COVID-19 lockdown according to several inequality indicators.
Methods:
we conducted a cross-sectional study with parents and guardians of children and adolescents from Spain and Brazil. The evaluation process was through the use of online questionnaires. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in Children and Adolescents. Proxy-reported physical fitness was determined using the International Fitness Scale. Inequality indicators (gender, nationality, socioeconomic status, and parents/guardians' education level) were evaluated with a survey completed by the participants' parents/guardians. Binary logistic regression models estimated the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and proxy-reported physical fitness, with stratification according to inequality variables. A total sample of 1099 Spanish and Brazilian individuals (47.6% girls, aged 3 to 17 years) were included in the analysis.
Results:
compared to the "improvement needed to Mediterranean diet" category, the "optimal Mediterranean diet" group was significantly associated with "very good" physical fitness in boys (OR = 1.5; 95 % CI: 1.0-2.1) and in participants with parents/legal guardians' education level without university studies (OR = 1.5; 95 % CI: 1.0-2.4).
Conclusions:
gender and parents/guardians' education level plays a significant role in the association between the "optimal Mediterranean Diet" and "very good" physical fitness level in Spanish and Brazilian children and adolescents. Future prospective studies are needed to investigate the role of inequality indicators in this relationship.
Keywords : Young population; Pandemic; Behavior; Obesity; Socioeconomic status.