Antonio Fernández-Martínez

ADHERENCIA A LA DIETA MEDITERRÁNEA EN ADOLESCENTES RURALES Y URBANOS DEL SUR DE ESPAÑA, SATISFACCIÓN CON LA VIDA, ANTROPOMETRÍA Y ACTIVIDADES FÍSICAS Y SEDENTARIAS

BACKGROUND The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthier diet models. Mediterranean food patterns are suffering a deterioration that can especially affect children and adolescents. OBJECTIVE Determine adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents of southern Spain and its relationship with the residence area, sex, age, life satisfaction, anthropometry, and habits of physical activity and sedentary activities. METHODOLOGY A total of 1973 adolescents (11-18 years) of southern Spain participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Cut-off value between rural and urban locations was 10000 inhabitants. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was calculated from the KIDMED questionnaire. Life satisfaction, physical activity, and sedentary activities also were measured through valid and reliable questionnaires. Body mass index and % body fat were measured using the TANITA BC-420-S body analyzer. RESULTS 30.9% of the adolescents reported an optimal quality diet, percent higher in rural locations (P < 0.05). Adherence was lower in older adolescents (P < 0.001), it was not different between sexes or according to anthropometric variables. Adolescents more satisfied with their lives (P < 0.001), more active (P < 0.001), more studious (P < 0.001), and less sedentary in front of a screen (P < 0.001) showed greater adherence to the Mediterranean food pattern. CONCLUSION The majority of adolescents need to improve their nutritional quality. Compared with these subjects, the adolescents most adherent to the Mediterranean diet had a healthier lifestyle and they showed greater life satisfaction.

Association of fitness with life satisfaction, health risk behaviors, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Spanish adolescents.

Abstract Grao-Cruces, A, Fernández-Martínez, A, and Nuviala, A. Association of fitness with life satisfaction, health risk behaviors, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Spanish adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 28(8): 2164–2172, 2014—The aim of this study was to examine the association between aerobic, musculoskeletal, and motor capacity and life satisfaction, risk behavior, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents. A total of 1,988 Spanish adolescents (12–16 years old) participated in this cross-sectional study. Life satisfaction, risk behavior, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were measured by validated questionnaires for these ages. Aerobic, musculoskeletal muscle, and motor capacity were evaluated objectively with the ALPHA battery tests. Adolescents with low aerobic capacity had a higher risk of showing less (vs. very happy) life satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] = 1.303, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1,054–1,611). These adolescents were also more likely to report risk behaviors such as sometimes (vs. never) of smoking tobacco (OR = 1.752, 95% CI = 1,218–2,520), besides having a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (vs. high) (OR = 1.410, 95% CI = 1,113–1,786). Adolescents with low upper-body musculoskeletal capacity showed a lower risk of reporting risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption or getting drunk occasionally (vs. never) (OR = 0.662, 95% CI = 520–843; OR = 0.561, 95% CI = 419–753, respectively). The results suggest that the aerobic capacity contributes significantly to greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, greater life satisfaction, and lower tobacco consumption, whereas musculoskeletal capacity seems to be related to alcohol consumption.

Relationship of physical activity and sedentarism with tobacco and alcohol consumption, and Mediterranean diet in Spanish teenagers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study examined the association of physical activity and sedentarism with tobacco and alcohol consumption, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in teenagers of both genders. METHODS A total number of 1897 Spanish teenagers (12-16 year-olds) took part in the present cross-sectional study. The variables were measured by means of questionnaires previously validated for these ages. RESULTS Physical activity was positively associated to the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet for both genders (ß = .144, P < .001 for boys and ß = .066, P< .05 for girls), and inversely associated to smoking for boys (ß = -.135, P = <.001). Sedentary behaviors for leisure purposes (TV and PC) were negatively associated to adherence to the Mediterranean diet for both boys (ß =-.100 and ß = -.104, both P < .05, respectively) and girls (ß= -.148 and ß = -.141, both P <.001), and positively associated to alcohol consumption for girls (ß = .114, P < .01 and ß = .199, P < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION results suggest that physical activity and sedentary behaviors have an important relationship with the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in teenagers. Also, higher levels of physical activity in boys can lead to reduced tobacco use, while watching TV and PC leisure can lead to increased alcohol consumption in girls.