TY - JOUR
T1 - A Generation Shift in Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Its Association with Biological Markers and Health in Dalmatia, Croatia
AU - Šarac, Jelena
AU - Auguštin, Dubravka Havaš
AU - Lovrić, Mario
AU - Stryeck, Sarah
AU - Šunić, Iva
AU - Novokmet, Natalija
AU - Missoni, Saša
PY - 2021/12/20
Y1 - 2021/12/20
N2 - Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet in mitigating health issues related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. However, rapid changes in the traditional way of life and the ”westernization” of the diet in Mediterranean populations, especially in younger generations, has led to progressive abandonment of healthy dietary patterns. In order to investigate the generation shift in dietary patterns and lifestyle habits in the Mediterranean part of Croatia, we compared two cohorts of 610 women (266 pregnant and 344 non‐pregnant) from the same region, but from different age groups. The MDSS score was derived from food frequency questionnaires. The results showed that the young, reproductively active generation (pregnant women) in Dalmatia, Croatia, although having a higher education and socioeconomic status, exhib-its a more adverse eating behaviour (lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet) and lifestyle (ex-cessive smoking in pregnancy) than the older population from the same region. Lower MDSS scores across aggregated age groups in both cohorts showed significant association with higher blood lipid levels and higher smoking frequency. In conclusion, Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with biological markers (age, lipid profile) and lifestyle (smoking) in our study, with a more adverse trend observed in the younger generation.
AB - Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet in mitigating health issues related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. However, rapid changes in the traditional way of life and the ”westernization” of the diet in Mediterranean populations, especially in younger generations, has led to progressive abandonment of healthy dietary patterns. In order to investigate the generation shift in dietary patterns and lifestyle habits in the Mediterranean part of Croatia, we compared two cohorts of 610 women (266 pregnant and 344 non‐pregnant) from the same region, but from different age groups. The MDSS score was derived from food frequency questionnaires. The results showed that the young, reproductively active generation (pregnant women) in Dalmatia, Croatia, although having a higher education and socioeconomic status, exhib-its a more adverse eating behaviour (lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet) and lifestyle (ex-cessive smoking in pregnancy) than the older population from the same region. Lower MDSS scores across aggregated age groups in both cohorts showed significant association with higher blood lipid levels and higher smoking frequency. In conclusion, Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with biological markers (age, lipid profile) and lifestyle (smoking) in our study, with a more adverse trend observed in the younger generation.
KW - Biological markers
KW - CRIBS cohort
KW - Croatia
KW - Diet
KW - Eastern Adriatic islands
KW - Lifestyle
KW - MDSS score
KW - Mediterranean diet
KW - NIH cohort
KW - Westernization
UR - https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124564
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121351105&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/nu13124564
DO - 10.3390/nu13124564
M3 - Article
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 13
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 12
M1 - 4564
ER -