Abstract
Background. Body weight dissatisfaction is a hindrance to following a healthy lifestyle and it has been associated with weight concerns. Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle (diet and exercise) and the desired body weight loss in an adult Mediterranean population with overweight. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis in 6355 participants (3268 men; 3087 women) with metabolic syndrome and BMI (Body mass index) between 27.0 and 40.0 kg/m2 (55–75 years old) from the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Desired weight loss was the percentage of weight that participants wished to lose. It was categorized into four cut-offs of this percentage (Q1: <10%, n = 1495; Q2: 10–15%, n = 1804; Q3: <15–20%, n = 1470; Q4: ≥20%, n = 1589). Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and a 17-item Mediterranean diet questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed by the validated Minnesota-REGICOR and the validated Spanish version of the Nurses’ Health Study questionnaire. Results. Participants reporting higher percentages of desired weight loss (Q3 and Q4) were younger, had higher real and perceived BMI and were more likely to have abdominal obesity. Desired weight loss correlated inversely to physical activity (Q1: 2106 MET min/week; Q4: 1585 MET min/week. p < 0.001) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (Q1: 8.7; Q4: 8.3. p < 0.001). Conclusions. In older Mediterranean individuals with weight excess, desired weight loss was inversely associated with Mediterranean lifestyle adherence. Deeply rooted aspects of the MedDiet remained similar across groups. Longitudinal research is advised to be able to establish causality.
Highlights
Despite a recent meta-analysis describing that overweight or obesity may decrease mortality risk in elderly populations [1], this could be due to a higher resistance of the overweight people to severe physical stress, as would be the case for inpatients in intensive care units [2]
The majority of the subjects with overweight were classified into
Most of the subjects with obesity were in Q4 (33%), 15–20% desired body weight loss (Q3) (28%) and Q2 (27%)
Summary
Despite a recent meta-analysis describing that overweight or obesity may decrease mortality risk in elderly populations [1], this could be due to a higher resistance of the overweight people to severe physical stress, as would be the case for inpatients in intensive care units [2]. Ju et al described that other parameters closely related to obesity, such as metabolic syndrome, increase mortality They do not describe in detail parameters of body composition when they refer to weight excess as a protective factor for mortality [1]. Previous research established that the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is an adequate treatment to avoid cardiovascular harmful effects of excess weight and its comorbidities in population over 55 years old [10]. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle (diet and exercise) and the desired body weight loss in an adult Mediterranean population with overweight.
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