Abstract
(1) Background: The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and to examine the relationship between MD adherence, physical activity, self-concept, and other sociodemographic factors; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study (N = 597; 18.99 ± 0.64 years) was conducted in a sample of university students from Ceuta, Melilla, and Granada (Spain). Religious beliefs and place of residence were directly reported, while physical activity and adherence to the MD were self-reported using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) respectively. Self-concept was evaluated using the Five-Factor Self-Concept Scale; (3) Results: Of those students reporting high levels of habitual physical activity, 82.3% also reported high adherence to the MD, with 17.7% reporting a medium adherence. Of students reporting no physical activity, 25.7% also reported medium adherence to the MD. No significant associations were found between the MD and religious beliefs. It was observed that the university campus was associated with the level of adherence to the MD (p = 0.030), with adherence being lowest in Ceuta and Melilla. Finally, the MD was associated with academic (p = 0.001) and physical self-concept (p = 0.005); 4) Conclusions: The MD should be promoted to university students, particularly those studying at Ceuta and Melilla, given the present findings of lower MD adherence. In addition, as higher MD adherence was also highlighted with more positive self-concept, its promotion would be beneficial in wider educational contexts.
Highlights
Considerable research has addressed the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on life expectancy and quality of life [1], since it has a positive effect on public health, and reduces the risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s, depression, diabetes, and cancer, as well as many others [2,3,4,5,6,7]
Adherence to the MD was related to certain socioeconomic factors, such as the university campus attended, the practice of physical activity, and some dimensions of self-concept
Hypothesis 1 (H1) was partially supported as university students from Ceuta and Melilla reported a lower adherence to the MD
Summary
Considerable research has addressed the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on life expectancy and quality of life [1], since it has a positive effect on public health, and reduces the risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s, depression, diabetes, and cancer, as well as many others [2,3,4,5,6,7]. Higher socioeconomic status and living in the family home is associated with a better quality of diet [8,9,10]. The composition of the MD is based on the consumption of food cultivated around the Mediterranean Sea, which contain a high amount of natural antioxidants. It is characterized by a high intake of olive oil, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, with a moderate consumption of fish, Nutrients 2018, 10, 966; doi:10.3390/nu10080966 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients. The MD has been shown to provide essential macronutrients and demonstrates important health benefits, such as improved body composition and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases [4,5,6,10]
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