Determinants for Mediterranean diet adherence beyond the boundaries: a cross-sectional study from Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates.

Autor: Hashim M; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, United Arab Emirates. mhashim@sharjah.ac.ae.; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates. mhashim@sharjah.ac.ae., Radwan H; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, United Arab Emirates.; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Ismail LC; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, United Arab Emirates.; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates.; Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2JD, UK., Faris ME; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, United Arab Emirates.; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Mohamad MN; Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates., Saleh ST; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, United Arab Emirates., Sweid B; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Naser R; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Hijaz R; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Altaher R; Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates., Rashed E; Supreme Council of Family Affairs, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates., Turki E; Supreme Council of Family Affairs, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates., Kitbi MA; Supreme Council of Family Affairs, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of translational medicine [J Transl Med] 2024 May 28; Vol. 22 (1), pp. 513. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 May 28.
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05172-0
Abstrakt: Background: Substantial evidence embraced the nutrition competence of the Mediterranean diet (MD) as a healthy model for decreasing the risk of chronic diseases and increasing longevity, with the bonus of ensuring environmental sustainability. Measuring adherence to this diet is marginally investigated in the Arabian Gulf region, an area away from the Mediterranean region. The current study aimed to assess the MD adherence among adults in Sharjah/the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to identify the most influential predictors for MD adherence among the study participants.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed using a self-reported, web-based electronic questionnaire that questioned sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, and familiarity with the MD. The MD adherence was assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener validated questionnaire. The adherence level was classified as low for a total score of [0-5], medium [score 6-7], and high (8-13).
Results: The study included 1314 participants (age 25-52 years) comprised 822 (62.6%) females and 492 (37.4%) males. There was a moderate adherence score (5.9 ± 1.9) among the study participants. The food constituent expressed the lowest contribution to the MD was fish (9.3%), followed by fruits (12.3%), and legumes (18.3%). The multivariable linear regression analysis showed an overall significant linear trend for the association between the MD adherence score and physical activity, while nutrition information from dietitians and social media were the most two strongly related predictors for the higher adherence (β = 0.747; 95% CI 0.51-0.98, and β 0.60; 95% CI 0.269-0.93; p < 0.001, respectively). On the other side, being a smoker and from a non-Mediterranean country was associated with lower adherence scores (β = 0.538; 95% CI 0.252-0.82, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed a moderate adherence, low proportion for high adherence, and a gap in the familiarity with the diet name. Being married, physically active, non-smoker, and getting nutrition information from dietitians and social media were the strongest predictors for higher adherence. It is warranted that public health and nutrition specialists/dietitians to tailor new modern approaches for promoting healthy dietary behaviours consistent with the MD.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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