Publications

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a model of a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle. Adherence to the MD has been correlated with a reduction in many metabolic disorders including cancers. The factors associated with adolescents’ adherence to the MD in North Lebanon using the KIDMED index have never been explored. The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with the Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence among a sample of Lebanese adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the city of Tripoli, North Lebanon. A total of 298 students, aged 11-18 years, were randomly selected from public schools in the area. All participants completed a questionnaire on the Mediterranean diet (KIDMED index), physical activity (physical activity questionnaires for older children [PAQ-C] and adolescents [PAQ-A]), health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN-27 index), and sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, grade level, and parents’ educational status). The questionnaire was followed by anthropometric measurements. Adherence to the MD was good among only 13.4% of the adolescents. The prevalence rate of overweight and obesity was elevated reaching 36.9% of the students. Lower adherence to the MD was significantly correlated with skipping meals (P=0.004) and consuming fewer meals with the family (P <0.001). Meanwhile, adolescents who were engaged in a high level of physical activity reported a better diet quality (P=0.005). Low adherence rates to the MD were reported among Lebanese adolescents, therefore nutrition intervention programs as well as public health policies should be implemented in order to improve the diet quality among Lebanese adolescents.