Adherence to the mediterranean diet in an urban population of the ecuadorian sierra

Abstract

Introduction: mediterranean diet is characterized by being balanced, varied, and includes the necessary nutrients for the life of the human being, the moderate intake of red wine has antioxidant characteristics, it prevents atherosclerosis becoming a cardiovascular protector, likewise the nuts contribute to the reduction of triglycerides.Objective: determine the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in an urban population of the Ecuadorian highlands.Methods: quantitative research, with a non-experimental descriptive correlational approach, cross-sectional, carried out in August 2022, which uses a questionnaire as a tool which was applied to a population of 133 people who constitute the sample of participants.Results: the results were tabulated using the Excel 2016 version software, obtaining scientific data. The study reflects that 66,2 % of the population shows low or poor adherence and 33,8 % show good adherence to the consumption of a Mediterranean diet, in many of the respondents the intake of carbonated drinks, high-calorie products such as cakes or commercial confectionery has become a habit forming these as a fundamental part of their diets.Conclusions: the mediterranean diet is a new concept for our country, however, there is a large amount of scientific evidence of the benefits that it brings to the nutritional status in addition to the prevention of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension