Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better mental and physical health
Open accessAbstract
The aim of the present study was to analyse the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and self-perceived mental and physical health function, controlled for confounding effects of age, smoking, BMI, alcohol consumption, educational level, leisure-time physical activity and the presence of chronic conditions. A random sample of the 35-74-year-old population (3910 men and 4285 women) of Gerona, Spain, was examined in 2000 and 2005 in two independent population-based cross-sectional surveys. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. The Mediterranean diet score (MDS) was calculated according to tertile distribution of energy-adjusted food consumption considered characteristic for the Mediterranean region. Health-related quality of life was measured using the SF-12 questionnaire. Alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity and smoking habits were recorded. Weight and height were measured. Age-adjusted linear regression analysis revealed a significant (P < 0.01) direct association of the MDS with self-reported mental and physical health in both sexes. An increase of 5 units of the MDS was directly associated with changes of 0.74 and 1.15 units in men and women, respectively, in the mental component score after controlling for potential confounders. The age-adjusted direct association of the MDS with self-reported scoring of physical health remained stable after adjusting for several confounders in men but was attenuated in women. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with higher scoring for self-perceived health.
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Traditional dietary patterns from many parts of the world, such as the Norwegian and Japanese diets, also show protective associations and are correlated with reduced risk of developing depression or Alzheimer's disease as well as a general slowing of cognitive decline.
“Although the Mediterranean diet is the dietary pattern most studied in regard to health outcomes, including mental health (201), traditional dietary patterns from many parts of the world (e.g., the Norwegian and Japanese diets) also show protective associations (302, 303) and are correlated with reduced risk of developing depression or Alzheimer's disease as well as a general slowing of cognitive”
From Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health (2021) · cites this paper as [302]
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- Authors
- Muñoz, M.-A., Fíto, M., Marrugat, J., Covas, M.-I., & Schröder, H.
- Affiliations
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Schröder, Helmut
- Venue
- British Journal Of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2008-12-15
- Volume
- 101
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1821-1827
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2169089795
- Cited by
- 181
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 5.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red-Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red HERACLES RD06/0009, RD 06/0009)
- European Regional Development Fund (RD06/0009, 2FD097-0297-CO2-01, HERACLES RD06/0009)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- Mediterranean diet, dietary adherence, health perception, mental health, physical health, health-related quality of life, Mediterranean diet score, dietary intake, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Energy Intake, Cardiovascular Diseases, Chronic Disease, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet Surveys, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Nutritional Status, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Factors, Smoking, Spain, Exercise, Body Mass Index, Linear Models, Diet, Mediterranean
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