Adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to occupation-based social classifications and gender

Abstract

Background The link between the dietary pattern known as the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and lower morbidity/mortality is well known, and its efficacy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases has been proven in recent years. However, adherence to the MedDiet seems to be related to socioeconomic status. The objective was to analyze whether their adherence to the MedDiet differs from the rest of the working population. Material and methods: A transversal study was carried out on adherence to the MedDiet. One thousand six hundred nine workers were studied, of whom 626 belonged to the group of workers at risk of social exclusion. Results: It was found that 43.9% of the permanent staff had a high adherence, compared to the figure of 20.9% for the population at risk of exclusion (p < .01). No differences were evident between men and women in the same category of workers (41.7% vs. 47.9% in permanent staff and 22.5% vs. 40.5% in workers at risk of social exclusion). The lowest adherence to the MedDiet (11.4%) was found in the group of young women at risk of social exclusion. Their consumption of healthy foods was significantly lower than the group of older women, while their consumption of less healthy foods (cakes/pastries, butter and fizzy drinks) was higher. Conclusions: It is difficult to draw conclusions about whether it is the most expensive foods contained in the MedDiet which cause this difference in adherence, since, there is also a higher expenditure on non-essential products such as cakes/pastries, fizzy drinks and tobacco. Key messages People at risk of social exclusion and specially the younger women have a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet than other occupational social classes. The higher consumption of butter, fizzy drinks and cakes/pastries is the dietary habit which most affects adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the group of people at risk of exclusion. It is not possible to ensure that the higher cost of any foods included in the Mediterranean diet, such as fish and fruit, is the main cause of this difference in adherence.